Canine Therapy
Dogs, like humans and horses, have a dynamic fascial system — a three-dimensional connective tissue web that surrounds and supports every muscle, organ, and structure in the body. When stress, injury, or trauma occur, this system can tighten and solidify, placing significant pressure on pain-sensitive areas and creating patterns of compensation and imbalance.
Canine Myofascial Release uses gentle, sustained pressure to engage these restrictions and allow the tissue time to soften and release. Rather than forcing change, the technique creates a safe environment for the body to let go of protective holding patterns. As the fascia regains fluidity and length, tension decreases, mobility improves, and the body can return to a more balanced and comfortable state.
Canine Therapy
Like so many people dealing with chronic pain or injury, horses and dogs also have a dynamic living system called the fascial system (connective tissue), which is the environment and communication network for everything in the body. Fascia encompasses every system, organ, muscle, tendon, etc., in the body, which is three-dimensional. It is like a spider web integrated/infused around and within everything in the body. As fascia responds to stress and trauma and becomes restricted, the ground substance solidifies. This can put pressure of up to 2000 pounds per square inch onto pain-sensitive structures in the body. Essentially, humans, dogs, and horses alike have the same components that respond to stressors.
Part of a natural protective response is to guard in areas of vulnerability until we are given a reason to feel assured that we are safe. Myofascial Release techniques can create an environment for the body to feel safe to release with a very patient sustained stretch into holding patterns. As we melt into this web, we are allowing time for the fascial web to release layer by layer, beyond the surface.
Myofascial Release is not deep tissue massage, nor is it like chiropractic or Physical Therapy.
In most healing modalities, the myofascial system that interconnects everything is not part of the equation – and the more it is ignored, the more persistent the tension, restriction, and pressure, which acts like a "straight jacket," causing pain and dysfunction to persist. These holding patterns put pressure on pain-sensitive structures, pulling the body out of balance. In turn, the body enters a cycle of compensation. The Myofascial Release technique involves mindful attention to the entire mind-body web, engaging at the barrier of restriction, and encouraging a stretch/shear for 3-5 min allowing the essential time necessary for the fascial web to not just "relax" but to change on a cellular level. This patient approach allows the mucopolysaccharide gel of the fascial web to melt and change and to elongate back to its pre-shortened length, effectively releasing that "straight jacket."
In Action
This video shows a dog receiving gentle Myofascial Release therapy. Through sustained, patient touch, restrictions within the fascial system are engaged and allowed time to soften. Rather than forceful manipulation, the work supports the body in feeling safe enough to release protective holding patterns. The result is improved comfort, mobility, and a greater sense of ease within the whole system.
This video captures so beautifully what we call in JFB MFR “unwinding”. Unwinding is a natural response as we let go and get out of our own way. This is a clip from the middle of a session. Prior to this captured clip of the sessions, Ripley shifted from her side onto her back and Erin could feel through her system that she was wanting to decompress her spine from the base of her skull.
In the beginning of this video you will see Erin is connecting into the compression at the base of the skull (occipital area). As she connects into this area, Ripley begins to “unwind”. The body will move into positions in space, sometimes of past trauma, and positions that elicit deeper release on a cellular level. It may look like the therapist is moving the head or creating the movement but she is not. A dog would not tolerate this movement to be “done to them” as it would feel unnatural and forced, and they would protect against that energy. Erin is following the body’s desire to move and continuing to stay connected in the fascial barrier.
This level of letting go allows a deep level of healing. Notice the way her body moves and then stops/pauses the movement. It is in the pause that a very important position in space has occurred and once that releases, the body unwinds into another position in space. This is literally an unraveling of the fascial system that is occurring. If you look closely you will see a definite change in her breath (slow to fast ) at these “still points”. Toward the end of the video you will see her licking and chewing, which is another way animals express they are releasing.