Galen Myotherapy - Working WITH Fascia

'Fascia is contiguous within our bodies, permeating every part of us; we are a whole that requires positive stimulation and movement to remain healthy. This is why Galen Myotherapy is an effective and positive treatment and rehabilitation therapy for all dogs with mobility problems, regardless of the underlying pathology, because we treat the dog as a whole'

Fascia is categorised into three interconnected types: superficial, deep, and visceral. Although distinct in thickness and function, these three categories are physically and neurologically linked, each with specific roles and function but all highly innervated with neural connections.

Treating the whole dog is crucial for effective rehab

When your dog undergoes rehabilitation, it's crucial to ensure the entire ongoing rehab programme encompasses their whole body. Galen Myotherapy often treats hindlimb lameness or dysfunction in dogs by initially addressing the dog’s necks and shoulders. This is due to the specific compensatory adaptations often residing within these areas and these can inhibit fascial connections that run from the head to the pelvic region. Improved functionality in these connections is crucial for muscle force transmission, particularly as muscles and fascia create connected movement patterns. Reconnecting these myofascial lines can boost force transmission, or "drive," by as much as 40%.

How does working with fascia affect a dog with physical issues?

Proprioception and fascia are inextricably linked; therefore, any discussion of one necessitates a discussion of the other. Fascia, also permeates the brain, visceral organs, and both the sympathetic and non-sympathetic zones (fight and flight.) It has been scientifically proven in humans that fascia innervates 40% of the sympathetic (fight or flight) system, I believe a close and direct connection between the two can be assumed. So what does this actually mean for the dog with physical issues?  

For example the sympathetic innervation triggers the "fight or flight" response, this leads to physiological changes in the body, such as restricted microcirculation (capillary blood flow), which negatively impacts tissue health. When treating dogs, it's crucial for them to be relaxed, this allows their autonomic nervous system to enter the "relaxed" zone (para-sympathetic - rest and digest), promoting microcirculation and benefiting both their physical and mental well-being. This is one of the many benefits of treating with Positive PACT which is intrinsic to Galen Myotherapy.

Physical issues impact the brain as well as the body, through fascial pathways

We now understand that physical issues impact the entire body and the brain through the communicating pathways within fascia. Interoception describes how the brain perceives the body, and due to these connecting pathways this can be influenced through fascia which is something we used to consider being just part of the physical body. Now we are aware of this global connection through fascia of the body and mind we can now understand this vast feedback mechanism, exchanging perceptions both physically and psychologically thereby influencing each other holistically. 

Therefore, during your dog's rehabilitation, the entire body should be treated with the awareness that the body and brain are integral to the recovery of the physical body.

GALEN MYOTHERAPY

Galen Myotherapy utilises empathetic hands-on techniques that are suitable for dogs* and those specific tissues being treated, enabling the therapist to identify alterations in tissue temperature, tension, and tone. By empowering dogs to actively participate in their treatment using Positive PACT, therapists can positively influence not only the  dog’s  physical well-being but also their mental state. This approach assists positive associations with touch and people, facilitating neuroplasticity—the reprogramming of neural connections—particularly within the pain/behaviour paradigm.

*Galen Myotherapy massage techniques are not simply direct transfers of human massage techniques onto a dog, as some, such as trigger point treatments, are unsuitable for dogs. As physical therapists, our responsibility is to identify and treat the underlying cause of these highly painful neurological masses.

Human studies increasingly demonstrate that positive lifestyle and exercise are vital for total health, citing fascial integrity at the centre of this.  Therefore, surely, rehabilitation programmes must also engage appropriately with the body treating the fascial system holistically as this connects and communicates throughout the whole. 

Positive emotional responses promote positive physiological change and rehabilitation

When a dog experiences a positive emotional response, it enables the Galen Myotherapist to facilitate change, particularly in dogs that may react negatively to touch or other treatments, positively influencing the parasympathetic fibres (rest and digest/rehabilitate) 

In other words, appropriate hands-on treatment with choice allows the dog to relax in their mind and body, enabling positive physiological (cellular) change. 

While hands-on treatment is a crucial part of rehabilitation, equally vital are the exercises and environmental adjustments that embed and encourage lasting change. It's important to understand why static exercises and stretching are not recommended for positively influencing the fascial system. This is why Galen Myotherapy utilises rehabilitation exercises that focus on functional movement, a concept we will explore further in a future blog post.

IN SUMMARY

• Fascia's Role: Fascia is a continuous system throughout the body, crucial for health, movement, and communication between the body and brain. It's categorised into superficial, deep, and visceral types, all interconnected and highly innervated.

• Holistic Treatment: Galen Myotherapy treats the dog as a whole, acknowledging that physical issues impact the entire body and mind through fascial connections. For example, hindlimb lameness might be addressed by treating the neck and shoulders due to compensatory adaptations and fascial connections.

• Fascia and the Nervous System: Fascia is linked to proprioception and plays a significant role in the sympathetic (fight or flight) system. When treating dogs, it's vital for them to be relaxed (in the parasympathetic "rest and digest" zone) to promote microcirculation and overall well-being.

• Positive PACT: Galen Myotherapy utilises Positive PACT, an approach that empowers dogs to actively participate in their treatment. This helps create positive associations with touch and people, aiding neuroplasticity and reprogramming neural connections, especially concerning pain and behaviour.

• Treatment Techniques: Galen Myotherapy employs empathetic hands-on techniques tailored for dogs to identify tissue alterations. They focus on functional movement exercises rather than static exercises or stretching, as these are not recommended for positively influencing the fascial system.

• Mind-Body Connection: The blog emphasises that the body and brain are integral to recovery, with fascia acting as a vast feedback mechanism influencing both physical and psychological states.

REFERENCES

Bordoni B, Marelli F. [Emotions in Motion: Myofascial Interoception]. Complement Med Res. 2017;24(2):110-113. German. doi: 10.1159/000464149. Epub 2017 Mar 10. PMID: 28278494.

Schleip R, Gabbiani G, Wilke J, Naylor I, Hinz B, Zorn A, Jäger H, Breul R, Schreiner S, Klingler W. Fascia Is Able to Actively Contract and May Thereby Influence Musculoskeletal Dynamics: A Histochemical and Mechanographic Investigation. Front Physiol. 2019 Apr 2;10:336. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2019.00336. PMID: 31001134; PMCID: PMC6455047.

Innervation of Fascia - Fascia, Function and Medical Applications - Robert Schleip