Erin Alefounder
May 1, 2024
Part 1: Cardiovascular & Musculoskeletal System
The Benefits of Massage on Cardiovascular & Musculoskeletal Systems & Fascia
The expansive and important benefits of massage on all systems in the body are literally jaw-dropping and almost unbelievable! From each canine fur follicle of the skin (integumentary system) to the functions provided by the most vital of organs (respiratory and cardiovascular systems), massage benefits every single system. This article is a brief overview of the core functions and benefits of 3 of the canine's 10 bodily systems; the circulatory, muskuloskeletal and fascial systems.
Circulatory aka Cardiovascular System: This is the main blood pumping system that involves the heart which is located under the 3rd to 6th canine ribs, the arteries that take oxygen-rich blood to every nook and cranny of the body including each fur follicle, and veins which return oxygen-depleted blood back from these nooks and crannies to the heart. From every organ including the skin that covers the body, the health of its tissues is dependent on receiving oxygenized blood. Massage plays a critical role not only in the smooth functioning of the cardiovascular system but it can also serve to strengthen cardiac muscle!
Benefits of massage on the cardiovascular system:
stimulates the release of acetylcholine and histamine which sustains blood vessel dilation in order for maximum oxygen exchange to occur
improves the supply of oxygen to surrounding cells
decrease blood pressure
lowers heart rate
reduces ischemia so that bloodflow is fluid/strong
Cool Fact: In addition to the general benefits of massage on the cardiovascular system, there are specific therapeutic strokes the can be used to provide a "circulatory massage" geared towards mechanically circulating bloodflow when it is not happening naturally due to health or age reasons. Circulatory massages are fantastic for senior pets who cannot get rigorous exercise due to arthritis or for any age dog that cannot chase squirrels or go on their daily jog with mom due to to injury.
Fascia & the Musculoskeletal System
Fascia is fascinating. Full stop! There is so much to know about this connective tissue that surrounds muscle, separates muscles and muscle fibers within each muscle and connects muscles to other muscles and tissues. Fascia provides an intricate route system for the body's nervous and lymphatic system and even helps store excess fat. It is the muscular system's delicate knight and similar to the muscles it surrounds, fascia is subject to tension, fatigue and injury. When it is not taken care of, the consequences are seen on the body, sometimes sooner and always later. To learn a bit more about fascia, check this out.
Muscles are masses of tissue fibers that are activated by nerves which are sending and receiving information to/from the dog's brain. While there is so much to be said about muscles and how they are the mechanisms that use communication from nerves as well as the skeletal system to perform all kinds of amazing acrobatic feats, it is critical to take care of these muscles as there is so much more going on than we can possibly imagine. Every jump off the sofa, play wrestle with Fido, jog in the park or lunge at a crow can cause microtears and microtraumas in muscles. These microtears are perfectly harmless and can help build muscle provided its fibers have had the chance to get rid of its metabolic waste and allow blood/nutrients to enter. These microtraumas can cause bigger issues such as bicep tendinosis, chronic muscle strains and tendon ruptures. Therapeutic massage with stretching can maintain proper, healthy muscle growth and prevent such problems; and rehabilitative massage can further help speed up healing.
The benefits of massage on fascia and the musculoskeletal system include:
relieving tension and stiffness by relaxing both fascia and muscles
improving balance and posture by supporting the proper alignment of skeletal structures
reducing soreness
reducing trigger point formation
toning weak muscles
improving joint flexibility
increasing range of motion
improving nutrient absorption in the muscles and mineral retention inside bones
Cool fact! Massage can speed up healing of bone fractures since massage helps both eliminate toxic acids and metabolized waste AND bring oxygen and nutrients into the injured area.
Sources:
Evans, Miller's Anatomy of the Dog 3rd Ed.
D. Juhan, Job's Body; A Handbook for Bodywork