How does Prehabvet use acupuncture for sports dogs?
At Prehabvet, we use acupuncture in combination therapy, with fascial release and soft tissue techniques for our performance dogs. This is a different technique than we use in strict rehabilitation and medical management (although there can be some crossover) offering several key benefits. We highly recommend including acupuncture in your routine management plan for your canine athlete.
It reduces treatment time and stress for your pet.
Even the most tolerant dogs may struggle to remain still or display signs of stress during higher arousal situations or increased handling. Acupuncture provides valuable “hands-off time” for dogs to relax in a clinical setting while needles are in place.
It helps effectively target goals.
Especially for maintenance clients or later stages of rehabilitation, acupuncture allows us to target specific fascial planes with precision; this enables us to follow up with soft tissue therapy and enhances treatment goals.
What is fascia? It’s a dense connective tissue, connecting all parts. We can visualise separating it into planes – very similar to acupuncture meridians! It also surrounds vital organs.
Progress tracking improves.
We use it to assess our treatment protocols. After acupuncture sessions, we observe how the body responded to tissue releases. We also track adaptations over further appointments, helping us establish timelines for improvement and training expectations, as well as signposting when additional changes are needed.
Maintenance becomes simplified.
We’re increasingly aware as trainers and competitors, that our canine partners will go above and beyond in their willingness – no matter how they feel. It’s our responsibility to ensure the tasks we ask safe, and this includes maintaining good body condition and removing niggles. We use acupuncture as a “mini-treatment” to target trigger points where appropriate. Placement of a few, focused needles for a short period of time often resolves the tension.
Fascia works on the basis of tensegrity- it’s matrix of tension that keeps the body upright against gravity. You can imagine if one of these is pinched, the body will need to adapt.
Suitable for puppies.
Minor trigger point release, as above – is especially beneficial for puppies who may still be learning to accept handling, offering quick relief from daily stresses and normal puppy activities. We’re careful not to over-treat, and for this reason we offer prehabilitation screens as a part of our clinical performance practice.
Why do we needle with a fascial focus?
As this border collie prepares for an agility jump demanding extension and speed, her excellent myofascial health allows her to fully extend. She can reach from her shoulder tissue to the back toes, without encountering early blocks from fascial restrictions.
This freedom of movement grants her the space to use all her muscle power, provided she’s properly conditioned. Beyond sustaining performance levels, this aids in injury prevention and allows swift adaptation to changes in handler cues, terrain, and arousal levels.
