Strains
A strain occurs when the muscle or tendon that attaches to a bone is overstretched and results in the tearing of the fibres in the muscle/tendon.  This can happen when a dog stretches too far, too much/too often during normal play or if they slip/fall.  This sudden movement results in the muscle being forced to over contract and overstretch.  
There are 2 types of strain: Chronic and Acute.  Chronic strains occur as a result of repetitive movements over a long period of time that can result in micro tears of the muscle/tendon fibres.  Acute strains are the result of a direct trauma/injury to the body causing an immediate tear.

Strains can be graded according to their severity:

Grade 1 is a mild strain to individual muscle fibres, damaging less than 5% of the fibres.  
Grade 2 is when damage occurs to more muscle fibres but the muscle has not completely torn.
Grade 3 occurs when the muscle has completely torn and will need surgery to repair the damage.

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Scar Tissue

Scar tissue forms as part of the body’s healing process after a strain has occurred.  Initially, there will be bleeding and inflammation in the tissue, however, the body cannot replace the damaged muscle fibres, and instead produces a tough, fibrous connective tissue to bind the damaged fibres together.  This tissue forms in a disorganised way and are not as flexible as the original muscle fibres resulting in up to 50% less flexibility.  This causes a decrease in blood circulation and a build-up in toxins and can pull the skeleton out of alignment.  The body will then overcompensate in other areas causing tenderness and referred pain in other parts of the body.

Adhesions

These can form where scar tissue has been laid down after an injury to soft tissue.  As scar tissue is less flexible and forms in ‘clumps’ it can stick to the surrounding fascia and forms an adhesion.  This creates tension and leads to pain, a restricted range of movement and, over time, muscular imbalance.

Myofascial Pain

Fascia is the connective tissue that surrounds, in a ‘cobweb like’ structure, all of the structures within the body – bones, muscle, ligaments and tendons etc.  This allows these structures to ‘slide and glide’ and minimizes friction between them.
Myofascial pain is a condition created by the dysfunction of the fascia causing the muscles to become restricted. 
Once the fascia has become restricted it tightens over the muscle, causing an irritation to the nerve endings and creating pain sensitivity in that area of the body (often seen as a twitching of the skin).  This in turn can lead to the formation of trigger points.
Common areas for myofascial pain to occur are in the Thoracic and Lumbar areas – behind the shoulders, along the back and in front of the pelvis.

Trigger Points

Trigger points are associated with myofascial pain and are created when dysfunction of the fascia causes the muscle to become restricted and tight.  This compresses the muscle fibres creating a taut fibrous band in the muscle, often referred to as a ‘knot’.  These trigger points are hypersensitive areas, as the nerve endings are irritated, creating pain and tenderness in a fixed point or can cause pain to radiate out into other areas of the body and will ultimately restrict the range of movement and quality of life for the dog.  
A dog with a trigger point may present symptoms in different ways:

• Twitching skin

• Tickly spots

• Changes in coat direction

• Being over-sensitive to handle

• A dislike to being touched or groomed in certain areas

• Stiffness

• Unwillingness to exercise 

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It must also be remembered that trigger points can mimic other orthopaedic conditions or disease within the dog, such as arthritis that may have similar symptoms/signs.

Protective Splinting/Muscle Guarding

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Protective splinting/muscle guarding is the body’s way of managing an injury that has been attained.  When the body detects an injury the nervous system can ‘splint’ the area with muscle tension to prevent further movement and damage. 
This ‘splinting’ or muscle guarding occurs when the muscles around the affected area attempt to take the strain and prevent further injury.  However, over time pressure builds and the muscles begin to tighten, shorten and become inflexible, causing the fascia to thicken, restricting the contraction and lengthening of the muscle, like wrapping cling film too tightly around a joint.   This then causes further pain and the development of trigger points.
 

Spasms

A spasm is a muscle cramp and occurs when a muscle is over used or damaged.  It causes a sudden involuntary contraction of the muscle, as the nerve endings going into overdrive, and the muscle is unable to relax.  
If the spasm is strong enough it can lead to torn ligaments or tendons.  
Causes of muscle spasms include:

• Strains or injury

• Neurological damage

• Allergies

• A reaction to a medication

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A spasm can be painful and can often be seen and felt as localised twitches beneath the skin.

Sprains

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A ligament is a tough, fibrous band of connective tissue that connects one bone to another to form a joint.  Its job is to support a joint, prevent or limit movement and maintain correct bone alignment.
A sprain is an injury to a ligament, usually caused by a physical trauma, like a traffic accident, slipping or attempting an ambitious jump.  This type of injury causes the ligament to be stretched beyond its capabilities and so damages the collagen fibres.  

Sprains can be categorised according to their severity:

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• Grade 1 – minor tear or stretch which damages a few fibres.

• Grade 2 – the tear causes external swelling.  This occurs when a third or more of the fibres have been damaged.

• Grade 3 – a complete rupture of the ligament that will take a long time to heal.

• Grade 4 – a complete rupture that takes small pieces of bone with it – may require surgery to repair

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How can massage help with muscular & soft tissue injuries?

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• Relaxes the muscle to relieve soreness, tension, and stiffness

• Improves muscle tone

• Improves flexibility and range of motion

• Improves the flow of nutrients to nourish the muscles and joints, accelerating recovery times

• Speed up the removal of toxins and waste from the muscles

• Breaks down and remodels scar tissue

• Reduces inflammation

• Reduces pain by releasing endorphins

• Speeds up the rehabilitation process after injury

• Promotes the body’s natural healing process

• Helps manage areas of overcompensation

• Releases painful trigger points

• Loosens tight muscles before they spasm