Hypertonicity

Muscle hypertonicity is when the muscle tissue has too much resting tone. In other words, the muscle is not able to fully relax whilst in rest and is therefore not able to recuperate and renew. Instead, the muscle is held in a persistent state of contraction, leading to muscular fatigue and a pain cycle that can be very uncomfortable for your dog.

The muscle can look as though it is bulging and feels hard and inflexible to the touch. The muscle will be tight and stiff, decreasing its ability to lengthen and contract, which inhibits your dog’s normal movement. This abnormal movement can then cause compensatory issues in other areas of the body. Whilst hypertonic the muscle is prone to further injury in the form of trigger points and muscle strains.

Hypertonic muscles respond really well in just a couple of massage sessions. Massage helps to restore optimal function to the fibres so that they can lengthen and contract efficiently, to the fascia that is then able to respond to changes and pressure elicited from the muscles, and to the sensory neurons that are able to feedback as normal. The result is a supple, flexible muscle so your dog can return to normal activity and not suffer daily pain.