Athletes – Supporting Fitness with Bodywork
Sports bodywork utilizes specific techniques to help obtain maximum performance and physical conditioning by increasing power, endurance, and mobility – both before and after an event or exercise. It should be a regular part of every four-legged athlete's training program and is vital for top performance and lengthening of career.
Please keep in mind, your dog will have different needs at different times. There are three basic categories that sports bodywork covers:
 Training
Throughout practice and rigorous regular activity, bodywork helps prevent injuries. Areas of muscular stress can result from repetitive motion and are typically precursors to injury. Bodywork assists in relieving muscular stress and address compensatory issues which can develop.
Post Event
Recovery after a competition involves not only the normalization and repair of tissue, but also general relaxation. A gentle massage two to three hours post event will speed up the recuperation process by increasing circulation to soft tissue to heal micro tears. It will also relax tight, fatigued muscles, tendons and ligaments.
Pre Event
In order to perform properly, all athletes must adapt to the extra stresses of power, agility, and coordination. To reach this high level, your dog must cope with activities at the extremes of joint movement and muscle length. This places heavy demands on the strength and endurance of muscle, and the ability of joints to move freely in all directions. Bodywork can relieve the excessive stress by maintaining tissue pliability, reducing inflammation and re-establishing full function of muscles
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