I was playing tug of war with my dear dog Sailor the other day, and man was I out of breath when we got done.
But I also noticed something that many dog owners notice—your dog is strong, and she can pull your arm out of its socket if she wants to.
At the dog park, we dog owners endlessly discuss the musculoskeletal injuries that can happen when you’re playing with your dog or dogs.
For example, we’ve all seen the dog owner jogging with their pet on a leash.
The dog is often faster and more rambunctious than the dog owner.
The dog owner struggles to keep up, as doggie pulls evermore to have extra fun and speed.
As a Rolfer, I see injuries to shoulders, hands, and wrists that come directly from hanging on for dear life when your doggie is rarin’ to go.
In the jogging scenario, the dog is pulling on one arm or the other, right?
So this throws your stride off, and imbalances your body. It’s not a natural running motion, to be running with one arm extended, with another being tugging at you.
Similar to how sitting in chairs, car seats, or being in other anti-ergonomic situations can throw your skeleton and connective tissue out of balance, a fun jaunt with pets can do the same.
Dog joggers often trip and sprain their ankles, or worse yet break a foot, injure a knee, or fall flat on their face, because you’re trying so hard to please the dog and keep him or her from getting free of the leash… and hey, who saw that curb coming?
A doggie leash likes to coil tightly around your hand or wrist, cutting off circulation, and if there’s repeated exposure to this activity, you may suffer carpal-tunnel, arthritis, mini-fractures, bruising, or general discomfort.
Another thing that happens with dog lovers who use a ball sling or throw a Frisbee to our dogs is that we can get sore, or again, we might dislocate a shoulder, or injure a wrist or elbow.
These injuries for dog lovers are especially prevalent if you don’t do a lot of other exercise.
If you want to really be there for your dog, it behooves you to get in shape.
One of the easiest ways to get injured is to be a weekend warrior, a springtime soldier, someone who never gets up off the couch except to walk the dog and play with the dog.
The good news is that SAM (Strength And Mobility) Rolfing is perfect for dog lovers. Number one, because I’m a dog lover. My dog Sailor wants to be a Rolfer, but his paws just don’t work for Rolfing!
Number two, because unlike other forms of therapy like massage, chiropractic, pharmaceuticals, and surgery, SAM Rolfing works with your entire body to generate flexibility, inner strength, elongation, and reduction of inflammation and tension that manifests as injury and pain.
SAM Rolfing brings a delicious sense of ease and power back into your body. You feel taller, more energetic, more physically capable.
What’s more, because I use two assessment modalities to thoroughly evaluate what’s happening with your body, I tailor my therapeutic work specifically to remediate your situation.
I give you specific tips on how to manage your body while you’re playing with your dog.
I give you specific exercises and stretches that strengthen, balance, and mobilize your musculoskeletal system so you’re less prone to injury and more prone to fun.
SAM Rolfing is the only body therapy that offers this specifically effective holistic approach.
And the sad fact is that many forms of body therapy hurt you more than they help you.
For all of you who love to walk or run your dog, play tug of war, wrestle around, play Frisbee, and even spend hours at the dog park, I’m here to assure you that SAM Rolfing uniquely helps you handle the strength and energy your dog or dogs bring to your life.
You owe it to your pet to be as strong and healthy as you can be, so you can enjoy your time together.
Get in touch and book a SAM Rolfing appointment today, and make your dog and yourself very happy!
