Now that we know a little about the benefits of myofunctional therapy and the technology we use. Let's talk about some of the various applications.
Below are some of the foundations and treatment techniques used
Below are some of the foundations and treatment techniques used
Stretching fundamentals
Stretching fundamentals
Why stretch? There are five basic principles for safely and effectively stretching the patient.
- The muscles should be warm. This means you should stretch your dog after taking a walk or engaging in some physical activity
- The muscles must be completely relaxed. In our canine companions this means we need them to lie down before we begin to stretch them.
- We will stabilize the joint by holding it firmly. When the bones are held correctly it sends a signal to the spinal cord and brain that the joint is secure so the muscles can relax. It also sends a signal to the dog “you are safe. I have you. You can relax.”
- We will stretch the muscles using the straight plane movement. This means holding the long bones of the limbs in alignment with the joints . This alignment ensures we don't put the wrong pressure through the joint and stretch something we didn't intend to stretch (like the medial ligaments of the stifle)
- A stretch must be held for 30 seconds to reach both the elastic and non elastic fibers of the muscle. It is this combination of these fibers that once stretched will decrease the risk of muscle and joint injury for a healthy and pain free life