Unexpected muscle injuries—sometimes occurring in moments—unfortunately not only impact our sports-related plans but also override daily activities and routines for shorter or longer periods. The path to full recovery can often be difficult, but if you follow a specialist's instructions and advice, you can significantly accelerate this process, allowing you and your dog to return to your normal way of life as soon as possible.
Unfortunately, no matter how careful we are, muscle injuries can occur, especially in active dogs. Fortunately, some risks can be reduced with a little attention.
To prevent them, we need to know the most common causes of muscle injuries, which we have compiled for you here.
- Overload / Lack of Gradual Progression
Many owners suddenly increase their dog's activity level without gradual preparation, which places excessive and unexpected strain on the muscles. This is especially true for sport dogs, but even an average activity dog can suffer an injury if they are suddenly made to run a greater distance. Dogs, especially working breeds, often do not show signs of fatigue, so it is our job to pay attention to the appropriate exercise intensity and duration.
How can we prevent injuries?
Always gradually increase your dog's load, whether for sports or daily exercise. Dogs also need time to adapt to new activity levels, so the intensity and duration of exercises should increase slowly.
For sport dogs, it is especially important to develop an appropriate training plan that includes a gradual increase in fitness to avoid muscle overload. (If you are interested in the topic, also read the blog post on periodization)
- Lack of Warm-up
The lack of a warm-up is one of the biggest mistakes we can make, especially if our dog is involved in sports or regular intense exercise. Cold muscles are much more vulnerable than warmed-up muscles, and sudden movements or jumps can easily lead to muscle strains or tears.
How can we prevent injuries?
Before any more active activity, perform a few minutes of light, low-intensity movement (e.g., walking or slow jogging, repeated sitting/lying down) to gradually warm up the muscles. This alone significantly reduces the risk of injury.
A proper warm-up, which can take up to 10-15 minutes, is especially important before sports competitions. In such situations, it is advisable to perform a professional warm-up, learning a few basic movements.
- Inadequate Regeneration and Too Short Rest Period
Neglecting regeneration after intense workouts and an active lifestyle is also a common mistake. The reason is usually that our dog does not necessarily show signs of fatigue; we see them as mentally fit, their willingness to work is high, so we start the next intense activity too early. A dog's muscles rebuild during rest, so continuous overload without sufficient rest exhausts the muscles and increases the risk of injuries.
How can we prevent injuries?
Allow your dog enough time for regeneration between workouts. This is especially important for intense sports, where the dog may need one or two rest days per week.
Use musculoskeletal support supplements that aid muscle and joint regeneration.
- Uneven Muscle Exertion or Poor Movement Patterns
If a dog overloads certain muscles or develops incorrect movement patterns (e.g., due to injury or poor posture), this can eventually lead to muscle injury.
How can we prevent injuries?
Assessment and Correction of Movement Patterns: It is important for a professional, such as a canine physiotherapist or movement specialist, to assess the dog's movement patterns. In some cases, the dog compensates for old injuries or muscle weaknesses, which over time leads to uneven loading. Following professional advice can correct incorrect movements.
Regular Exercise and Training: Evenly distributed load helps the harmonious development of muscles. Gradually increasing the intensity of exercises can prevent overloads that can lead to poor movement patterns.
Attention to Regeneration: To avoid overload, it is important to include adequate rest periods between intense workouts. Muscle regeneration is essential for maintaining correct movement patterns.
- Muscle Tone Disorders
Muscle tone disorders or muscle imbalances (where some muscles are too tight and others are underactive) can also lead to injuries, as in such cases, the dog's musculature does not bear the load evenly.
How can we prevent injuries?
Regular Massage, Physiotherapy, Manual Therapy: Physiotherapy and regular muscle therapy can help maintain proper muscle tone, reduce tension, and promote the activation of underactive muscles. This can prevent the development of uneven muscle tone.
Stretching Exercises: To maintain muscle flexibility, it is important for the dog to perform regular stretching exercises. Proper stretching helps prevent overly tight muscles, thus reducing the risk of injury.
Exercise Program Designed by a Specialist: A personalized exercise and movement program that considers the dog's current muscle condition can help optimize muscle tone. This can be especially important if the dog is recovering from an injury.
- Poorly Chosen Equipment
Ill-fitting harnesses, or equipment that is too heavy or not suited to the dog's characteristics/size, can easily cause muscle strains or more serious injuries. For canicross, for example, the perfect width and length of the harness are very important. In agility, an obstacle placed too high can cause an unexpected accident for our pet, from which recovery can unfortunately be a long road.
How can we prevent injuries?
When starting a new sport, thoroughly research and understand your options. For sports equipment, it's worth investing in high-quality, specialized equipment that is not only durable but also tailored to the specific sport and the unique needs of the dogs.
- Genetic Factors
Certain breeds are genetically more prone to muscle and joint problems, which increases the likelihood of muscle injuries. (e.g., Labrador, Rottweiler, Pomeranian, Chihuahua)
What can we do in this case?
Breed-Specific Exercise Programs: For genetically predisposed breeds, special attention should be paid to optimizing exercise and training plans. Some dogs may require specific forms of movement to avoid overload or the development of poor movement patterns.
Early Screening and Diagnosis: For genetically predisposed breeds, it is advisable to perform regular screening examinations to detect musculoskeletal problems early. This can prevent smaller, still correctable problems from developing into serious injuries.
Proper Nutrition and Supplements: Proper nutrition and special supplements help strengthen the musculoskeletal system and reduce the risks arising from genetic predisposition.
Preventing muscle injuries is a crucial part of our dogs' health and well-being. Introducing warm-up and stretching, consciously structured training programs, regular physiotherapy, and proper nutrition can all contribute to our pets avoiding painful injuries.
Pay attention to your dog's movement patterns and correct them in time to avoid uneven loading. Knowledge of breed-specific needs can also aid prevention. The emphasis should therefore be on prevention, but if trouble has already occurred, don't despair, contact us, and we will help!
Recommendation
Muscle and ligament injuries are unfortunately more common than you might think, so when dreaming up our product range, it was clear that one of our supplements would definitely be for this purpose.
After extensive research, with the knowledge of a veterinarian, a canine physiotherapist, and a Belgian manufacturer—who keeps the latest research in mind—the MUSCLE & TENDON dietary supplement was born.
Its main uniqueness lies in the silicon it contains, specifically a form with exceptionally high absorption, which penetrates deep into muscles and tissues, promoting regenerative processes to an extent rarely seen before.
If your pet is struggling with a muscle injury or you want to strengthen and develop their muscles for prevention, our professional team highly recommends MUSCLE & TENDON.
