What is it?

In the 1950s, Russia and other European countries developed a separate branch of therapeutic massage known as sports massage. The deliberate strokes and deep pressure on affected muscle tissue achieved such great therapeutic success, the technique was quickly adopted by Olympic training programs for their world-class athletes.

If such musculature benefits could be achieved for human athletes, why not for our equine and canine counterparts as well? Our four-legged friends share many of the same muscle groups with us, their two-legged companions, so it is no surprise that we all suffer the same muscle soreness and spasms. Sports massage works deep into these muscles to relieve pain, warm up muscles in preparation for exertion, and prevent damage during physical activity later. Prevention is half the cure!

But my horse or dog is not a competitor...

That's OK--the benefits are good for everybody! From the pleasure horse who slips while galloping across the pasture to the backyard pooch recovering from surgery or dealing with an age-related complication, sports massage can help alleviate painful symptoms and speed recovery time. (For more on the benefits of sports massage, please see the Equine and Canine sections below.)

A horse's body weight is comprised of 60% muscle, all interwoven and connected. Thousands of elongated cells in a muscle--muscle fibers--lengthen and contract to cause movement within a part of the body. When a muscle becomes overworked or strained in some way, the muscle tissue will form adhesions, or clumps, that restrict the proper functioning of the muscle, causing spasms and pain. The deep pressure and compression applied during sports massage therapy help break up the restrictions, allowing the muscle to perform properly again, and without pain.

Symptoms of Tight Muscles, Soreness, and Spasms

• Choppy gait/shortened stride
• Head tossing
• Cold backed/hollowing out when saddled or curried
• Lead and transition resistance
• Change in disposition
• Stiffness in walking, flexing, or lateral bending
• Bucking
• Uneven muscling (caused by compensation, i.e., overdependence on an uninjured muscle group)

Benefits of Sports Massage Therapy

• Improves circulation, which promotes healing by a) increasing the flow of nutrients to the affected areas to hasten recovery, and b) accelerating elimination of waste products/toxins from the body
• Eases muscle spasms and tension
• Enhances muscle tone and range of motion
• Reduces inflammation and swelling in the joints
• Enhances flexibility
• Releases endorphins, natural pain killers in the body
• Improves disposition
• Helps prevent injury and loss of mobility
• Heightens athletic performance and endurance

Sports massage therapy can be just as important for the health of our canine companions as it is for our horses and ourselves. Whether your dog is a competitor or “just” your best friend, he will appreciate your care for his well-being.

During the massage sequence, increased circulation means the blood carries nutrients to the affected areas and aids in flushing metabolic waste products and toxins out of the body. For post-surgery dogs, this can hasten recovery time. Canine athletes can enjoy heightened performance and endurance. For the aging dog or one with hip or other problems, sports massage can alleviate soreness, tension, and spasms associated with compensation, i.e., the overuse of other muscles to lessen the burden on injured ones. Arthritic dogs can benefit from the positive effects of massage as well.

Benefits of Sports Massage Therapy

Improves circulation Promotes healing and faster post-surgery recovery Eases muscle spasms and tension Enhances flexibility, muscle tone, and range of motion Prevents atrophy in inactive muscles Loosens and softens scar tissue Releases endorphins, natural pain killers in the body Reduces inflammation and swelling in the joints Helps prevent injury and loss of mobility