Eldercare – 5 Posts
Quite frequently I hear this comment from clients and even from people active in the practice of animal health and science. I provide a mobile rehabilitation and conditioning service to encourage better recovery after surgery or otherwise improve quality of life through functional rehabilitation. Roughly 80% of my client base is elderly dogs, usually with orthopedic and/or neuro issues. Following are some short comments on beneficial treatments for aging pets:….Any fitness/rehabilitation/conditioning/bodywork program should be collaborated with your pets regular veterinarian, i.e., they should be in the loop. This may be accomplished by having your veterinarian refer you to me or by my contacting the vet after you have contacted me should you desire to work hands-on with me as a rehabilitation and conditioning specialist. Dachshunds flying off couches is not the same as plyometrics training, and many owners may not know the risks or benefits to either activity! So make sure to include your primary care veterinarian in your plans to have additional therapies practiced on your pets…..
In addition to #1, pain control, and #2, functional (possibly assisted) exercise protocol:
Massage is a common therapy that almost anyone can use beneficially to encourage circulation and subsequently possibly encourage healing. Many owners may take a stab at performing massage, but instruction from me is always best to start. Different massage techniques accomplish different results, and hands-on massage is not even recommended in some cases! Otherwise, I have found great benefit in using the little AAA battery-operated massagers produced by the Homedics company. My favorite ones cost $5.99, have four balled feet, and the spread of the feet is usually just right to straddle the spine of different animals. These little massagers have a great vibration frequency and anecdotal evidence proves that their use is extremely beneficial. I ran across them in a store about 5 yrs. ago, and based on reading years of research regarding vibrations and circulation, etc…I decided to give it a try. At the least, this massager will increase circulation and the animal will hopefully enjoy it. Cat owners are using it too!
I recommend beginning by slowly using the massager from neck to tail without it turned on, travelling the spine one direction, again, slowly. After a couple of passes, turn on the massager and do the same movement as when it was off. I like to divide the body into 5 minute sections, beginning with the department giving the most discomfort, i.e. mid-spine to tail base, then neck to mid-spine, right thigh, right shoulder, left thigh, left shoulder. If your pet has hip problems, start with the thighs then do the spine then the shoulders, etc…The idea is that doing this form of massage on the whole dog could take 30 min. in one sitting, but if you only have time for 10 minutes’ worth, then do the most important parts first. It is all complimentary and helpful; an animal with hip problems is taking more stress on his front end, and one with elbow problems is straining the neck, spine, and other parts of the body in compensation, so hopefully you get the idea.
Passive range of motion (PROM) should usually be performed and instructed to owners by an experienced practitioner. Some owners I have counseled have come away from surgery discharge having been told to perform massage or PROM, yet the owner actually does not know what this means or how to perform it so that the animal is not injured. A referral to a rehab practitioner to judge protocol and beneficial movements would be great for owners in these cases. Joint mobilization should only be performed by an experienced practitioner. PROM is not usually necessary if the pet is moving on their own, and other physical activities will be a better use of owners time. If your dog is moving and flexing & extending his knee after surgery, very likely his joints are staying mobile and you need not bug him by making him endure your “bicycling” his knee. Other drills and exercises will bring about improved use and recovery of the knee, and you subsequently have less opportunity to hurt him (or you) if you are not trying to manipulate him. Animals do not have the same hesitancy to use their offended joints as humans do, and the PROM is largely unnecessary unless the animal has nerve damage and cannot move the limbs, THEN PROM is indicated.
Controlled, specific swimming in warm water can be beneficial for the improvement of muscle tone, fitness and strength, especially if an animal is too sore in their joints to walk well for just basic fitness. Swimming for conditioning or therapy should be done in a controlled manner with the use of a dog life jacket and in short, steady bouts while better fitness is achieved. Just because a 15-year-old dog “likes to swim” does not mean he/she should go at it for 15 minutes straight the first or even the fifth time. I carry a full set of life jackets in my mobile practice should an owner possess facilities for swimming at home. In some environments, a regular harness may be used instead of a life jacket. Small dogs with short legs, like Dachshunds, may be swum in many home tubs. ….I find that outside the home environment, elderly animals (and many of other ages as well) are usually not happy to be in a swim tank in a foreign environment. I worked with a water tank/treadmill during the first years of my practice and determined that I would not miss it one bit in mobile practice. Elderly animals are often slightly confused and seem to want to do things in the comfort of their accustomed environment. In addition to incalculable fear levels when trying to use a facility-based water tank for therapy, this fear often induces nervous diarrhea in the water and the fear is potential cause for new injury. Travel to and from a facility can produce unnecessary stresses on both owner and animal. Therefore, I have come up with a variety of exercises and slings to assist elderly animals while they learn to return to better function on land…..
Epsom salt baths have been very beneficial for my elderly patients whose owners have tried them. Your pet may have health conditions making these baths prohibitive, so check with me or your veterinarian. Make sure to rinse off all the residue after the bath, otherwise when your pet licks off the residue, diarrhea will likely ensue…(magnesium).
Many machine modalities may be used in the practice of rehabilitation. I consider low-level laser therapy to be the most complementary and productive machine modality I utilize in my practice. Laser therapy has immense benefits which I will not attempt to cover here. A wonderful website to peruse is Thorlaser.com, and much information regarding laser therapy may be found there.
Ultrasound therapy on arthritic or sore joints and muscles has been proven to be beneficial. I also utilize this therapy in my practice and have had very positive owner feedback with regard to improved function in their animals. Much research information, including evidence-based research, is available on the web regarding these modalities…..People often ask me about using heating pads on their dogs; the use of heat depends on the nature of the injury or disease process. A combination of ice/heat/ice is often more therapeutic or the use of moist heat or brown rice in a sock heated in the microwave are usually preferential heat application options, but moist is good for some things while dry heat is for others. When in doubt, use ice. Instructions for the use of ice and heat may be found on my websites.
Chiropractic interventions are the choice of some and in my opinion should be combined with other therapies, especially massage, and should be administered by vets who have studied chiropractic or by chiropractors who have studied animal chiropractic—especially with regard to spinal issues—and are working in conjunction with the vet.
Acupuncture intervention has been proved to be beneficial as well and especially for pain control. There are several vets in the Austin area who practice acupuncture.
Diet: There are commonly-recommended neutraceuticals for elderly and injured dogs as well as for young dogs that have genetic or early-onset of disease process in their joints. Younger sporting dogs should benefit from these as well. Animals, like people, are not always being fed an optimal diet, so the receipt of quality nutrition from feeding varies, and the supplementation of neutraceuticals is often warranted. It is my preference, based on 30+ years’ experience, well-performed and founded research, and successful nutritional healing protocol, to encourage my patients toward a grain-free diet. The research is out there, and I will not attempt to summarize is here. Among commonly-used and readily-available supplements in this catagory are Glucosamine Hydrochloride with Chondroitin Sulfate (synergistic benefit), MSM (additional synergistic benefit), SAMe (joint, liver, tissue, brain, pain), and Omega 3 fatty acids, preferably in the form of fish oil. Oil-based supplements included in animal food are chemically altered during the production process to the point of diminishing their efficacy and/or they soon become rancid when the bag is opened. Omega 3 fatty acid chains are very fragile and research shows use of the capsule form is best. Additional options are digestive enzymes, probiotics, vitamin C, B vitamins & L-Glutamine, to name a few.
Bed: Bedding DOES make a difference. If your old dog/cat is still trying to jump onto your bed, I recommend you either stop them and provide an eggcrate bed nearby or get them started using stairs or a ramp up to the bed (and into the car, too…). Infrared bedding is nice (expensive), and solid research proves benefits. I have a Great Dane, and she has the chaise end of a couch, a Papasan Chair cushion, and two egg crate foam beds (in different rooms).
Elevate Food and Water: this reduces strain on elbows and neck. I put my Great Dane’s kibble in a Rubbermaid container that stands about 18″ high. Many varieties of elevated stands are available from stores and many homemade ideas about on the net. Definitely makes a beneficial difference.
There are definitely more ideas to be shared, and you are welcome to make note of some in the comments section. Pain control and exercise are key to keep your pet moving and healthy. I have a 10.5 year old Great Dane, Grace, as of this writing (Aug. 4, 2011), and she has had many severe orthopedic and some neurological issues, as well as several systemic internal issues. She appears as though she is 3 years old to most people. She does okay…:)
Homework Exercise Review for Elderly Sheepdog with Hind-End Neurological Problems
Here is the short write-up of my recommendations/reminders for Abby’s functional rehab and the process I believe will improve her neuro-muscular capabilities and strength.
Some of this will be stuff I’ve mentioned several times over the course of working with Abby, however it bears review, and most of the time, when I reevaluate a program, often we need to go back closer to a beginning point and press forward methodically in order to achieve expected gains.
I can’t emphasise enough how beneficial the vibrational massage is, even if you do it every other day instead of every day for now. For a refresher, please watch the 10 minute video here:
http://rehabilitationandconditioningforanimals.wordpress.com/category/videos/
And do it as best possible without cutting corners. Pertinent questions are also covered in the video, as well as methodology and benefits. Make sure you change out the batteries as soon as they seem dull, because the best benefit from this massage is realised from the vibration, which stimulates circulation, lessens tension, and potentially improves nerve conduction. I recommend, for now, doing the massage at the end of the day, at bedtime or thereabouts.
For the next week, please walk Abby twice daily, super slowly and consistently, without stopping, for 15 minutes. There are very many reasons why I use this method, and they all contribute to the gains we are trying to achieve. Super slow walking encourages use of all limbs to the best of their ability. Abby has already been able to walk multiple times daily, super slowly, for five and ten minute sessions, having built up slowly. Using the same exercise protocol for a week allows more time for the body to adjust to the work load, and it should go well, because these are introductory workouts, to build a base.
For the following week, please walk her 2×20 minutes in the same manner, if the 15 minute walks are completed well. She should be able to complete these walks without dragging a hind limb and without sagging or falling down. Otherwise, she needs to return to 10 minute walks and do them multiple times daily to ensure success. I am not after complete fatigue and maxing ability at this point; I am after building successful progress, which I believe her body will adapt and accomplish.
I really would like her to wear two supportive hard braces during these walks, and I realise you have only one. She hyper-extends her tarsal joints, and in order to use her hind legs properly and to subsequently use the muscles better/properly, the supportive brace that prevents hyper-extension while she is doing her slow drills would be additionally beneficial. (Orthovet Splint) Use the one you have on her R hind, since that leg has the most deficits and is the weakest. She hyper-extends because of nerve weakness and defecits.
After the week of 2×20 min slow, relatively flat walks, please add in cavalettis, obstacles, to improve her proprioception. This may be accomplished in many ways and several locations around your environment. I have photos on my rehab FB site that depict a trained sporting dog doing cavalettis using an extension ladder. I have a video on this site of a cat with neuro problems using a lineup of remote controls across a bar top. I have a pic on my FB site of another older dog using obstacles in the back yard. When time allows, I will attach some of those pictures to this post.
Abby needs to do the cavalettis every other day and during one of the walk workout times. You should warm her up walking for 5 minutes then do obstacle repeats for 10-15 minutes. I suggest you use about 5 items in a row, spaced about half an Abby-length apart, and between 4-6 inches high for now. If we could get the old cat to do the work, I’m pretty sure we can get Abby to do it! If she is too stubborn for you, I will be glad to take a rehab session and work with you and her on this drill.
After a week of this drill, keep doing it as prescribed, and add in hill repeats every third day as one of her twice-daily workouts. I suggest walking out the front door, around to the back yard, and then up and down the hill on the far side of the house for 10-15 minutes, very slowly. I was able to get her to do this work this past summer when I came for rehab checks.
During the hill phase, it may be more beneficial for Abby to receive laser therapy on the hill work days. This should have the effect of stimulating nerves and cellular process and often improves work ability in the older and neuro-challenged animals. In her condition, I see reason to have twice-weekly laser sessions for at least a month.
I think it would be great if you were able to just start where I suggest, as if we were beginning from scratch, and let’s see the progress that comes from scripted protocol and collaborative effort. She won’t improve from this point if she keeps doing the same walks and leads the same life she has been leading…the body stagnates, and the same happens for humans as well. Our brains aim toward conservation while our bodies are able to do more. I believe, based on my experience that is also based on years of research, that we will see strength and muscle gains if you start here again. I suggest we review in one month after these exercises have been completed. I will then revise the protocol and change the challenges.
Thanks!
Blessings-
Deborah
Resistance Training and the Older Adult
From the American College of Sports Medicine
Comments and Position Statements
(and, yes, most of the ideas outlined here may be adapted, and have been by me, for functional animal rehab–RehabDeb)
“The health benefits of appropriately prescribed long-term (more than 12 weeks) resistance training in older adults–ages 65 and older–are well known. They include improvements in muscle strength and endurance; other possible health benefits include increase in muscle mass, which translates into improvements in functional capacity. In addition, increased weight bearing with resistance training is considered beneficial in improving bone density and combating the effects of osteoporosis. Achieving appropriate levels of function is very important for older adults so they are able to carry out most of the daily living skills necessary to lead independent lives. Due to the fact that muscle wasting (sarcopenia) and weakness, exacerbated by physical inactivity, is prevalent in the aging population, more emphasis has been placed on developing resistance-training programs for older adults. When developing resistance-training programs for this group, important components to consider are the various training-related variables: frequency, duration, exercises, sets, intensity, repetitions, and progression.
Older adults often have orthopedic issues that contraindicate resistance training of the affected joint(s). Older adults are also at a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, and in many cases have even been diagnosed with it. Therefore, it is critical that the older adult receive prior approval from their physician before participating in resistance training. It should be noted that proper supervision of the individual’s resistance-training program, including any testing procedures, by an appropriately trained exercise professional, is highly recommended. It should also be noted that performing maximum strength testing in many older adults is not recommended. Therefore, when strength testing is appropriate, sub-maximum testing protocols for estimating maximum strength are recommended.
Frequency refers to the number of exercise sessions per week. The traditional recommendation for frequency is to engage in three training sessions per week for individuals primarily seeking improvement in their overall health and fitness capacity. Even though some individuals may be motivated to train more frequently, resistance-training studies with the elderly have indicated a range of two to four days per week to be effective and adequate in improving strength. So the recommendation is that the older individual train at least two days per week but no more than four, suggesting an average training frequency of three days per week. Also, the frequency of exercise should be structured so that there is at least 48 hours between training sessions. An individual could satisfy this requirement with a “total body” routine, meaning that they would exercise all of the chosen muscle groups during each training session two or three days per week. Another approach could be a “split” routine where some of the chosen muscle groups are exercised on one or two days a week while the remaining are exercised on a separate one or two days. This “split” routine approach may not be appropriate for those older individuals who are just beginning their program.
Duration describes the length of each training session. In reference to training duration, longer training sessions are not necessarily more effective. If one has an appropriately designed program based on sound training variables, lengthy training sessions are not necessary. In fact, older adults should avoid lengthy training sessions, because they may increase the risk of injury, manifested by extreme fatigue. Present guidelines for resistance training in older adults recommend a range of approximately 20-45 minutes per session. In other words, one should attempt to train for at least 20 but no longer than 45 minutes. This range suggests an approximate average duration of 30 minutes per session.
Exercise may be categorized as either multi-joint, meaning more than one joint is dynamically involved to perform the exercise (e.g., bench press, shoulder press, leg press), or uni-joint, meaning only one joint is dynamically involved (e.g., bicep curls, triceps extensions, leg extensions). In the older adult, the resistance-training program should focus primarily on multi-joint exercises. Uni-joint exercises are not discouraged entirely but should not make up the majority of exercises within the training program.
Additionally, machines are recommended over free weights (i.e., barbells and dumbbells) due to skill-related and safety factors. As the individual progresses, they can use free-weight exercises appropriate for their level of skill, training status and functional capacity.
Traditionally, muscle groups are classified as the following: 1) chest, 2) shoulders, 3) arms, 4) back, 5) abdomen, and 6) legs. Specifically, the chest group contains the pectoral muscles, the shoulder group contains the deltoid, rotator cuff, scapular stabilizers and trapezius muscles, the arm group contains the biceps, triceps, and forearm muscles, the back group contains the latissimus dorsi of the upper back and the erector muscles of the lower back, the abdomen group contains the rectus abdominis, oblique, and intercostals muscles, and the leg group contains the hip (gluteals), thigh (quadriceps), and hamstring muscles. In the older adult, it is important to attempt to incorporate all six of these muscle groups into the comprehensive resistance-training program.
It has been recommended that one to two exercises per muscle group is normally adequate. Noteworthy here is to understand that by employing primarily multi-joint exercises in the resistance training program one may actually exercise more than one muscle group or specific muscle per exercise. For example, in performing the leg press exercise the quadriceps, hamstrings, and gluteal muscles are all involved and, in many cases, this could eliminate the need to perform any uni-joint exercises for those particular muscles.
If a person is performing both multi-joint and uni-joint exercises for a particular muscle group, it is recommended that the multi-joint exercise(s) be performed before the uni-joint exercise. Additionally, within each resistance-training workout, larger muscle groups (i.e., legs, back, and chest) should be worked before smaller muscle groups (i.e., arms and shoulders).
Studies have shown improvements in muscle strength employing ranges of one to three sets of each exercise during the training program. Based on current guidelines, it would be recommended that the individual start with one set of each exercise and, depending on individual need, possibly progress up to no more than three sets when the fitness professional deems it appropriate. It should be noted, however, that an average of two sets of each exercise would be beneficial for most individuals. To avoid excess fatigue, a two-to-three minute rest period between sets and exercises is recommended.
Intensity refers to the amount of weight being lifted, and is a critical component of the resistance-training program, considered by many fitness professionals to be the most important training-related variable for inducing improvements in muscle strength and function. In other words, the more weight lifted, the more strength gained. Even though this may not always be the case, the importance of intensity in facilitating strength improvements is well documented. Intensity is often expressed as a percentage of the maximum amount of weight that can be lifted for a given exercise (1RM). For example, if someone who has a maximum effort of 100 pounds on the bench press exercise performs a set with 80 pounds, they would be training at 1RM of 80%. Studies have suggested that older individuals are able to tolerate higher intensities of exercise, up to 85%.
However, research has also shown intensities ranging from 65%-75% of maximum to significantly increase muscle strength. Therefore, in order to increase strength while simultaneously decreasing the risk of musculoskeletal injury that often accompanies higher intensities of resistance training, a low-intensity to moderate-intensity range of 65%-75% is recommended.
Repetitions (reps) refer to the number of times an individual performs a complete movement of a given exercise. There is an inverse relationship between intensity and repetitions, indicating that as the intensity increases the repetitions should decrease. Based on previous research, a rep continuum has been established that demonstrates the number of repetitions possible at a given relative intensity. For example, an intensity of 60% relates to 16-20 reps, 65% = 14-15 reps, 70% = 12-13 reps, 75% = 10-11 reps, 80% = 8-9 reps, 85% = 6-7 reps, 90% = 4-5 reps, 95% = 2-3 reps, and 100% = 1 rep. In view of the previously mentioned recommendations for an intensity of 65%-75% of maximum, this would suggest that for each training exercise the individual perform an adequate amount of weight that would allow for 10-15 reps. In the event that no initial strength testing was performed, simply through trial-and-error an individual could determine appropriate training loads that would allow them to perform only 10-15 reps. They could then be sure of training at 65%-75% of maximum effort.
In order to continually enjoy improvements in strength and functional capacity, it is important to consistently incorporate progression and variation into the resistance-training program. Progressing and varying one’s program commonly involves incorporating the overload principle. The overload principle involves making adjustments to the training variables of the resistance-training program such as frequency, duration, exercises for each muscle group, number of exercise for each muscle group, sets and repetitions. In terms of adjustment, normally the overload principle involves making increases to these variables. For example, making progressive increases in intensity has been shown to be important in increasing muscle strength. In terms of the rate of progression, one should consider attempting to progress their resistance-training program on a monthly basis. However, it should be noted that increasing the intensity in some older adults may be contraindicated due to orthopedic and/or other medical limitations. As a result, making adjustments in other training variables would be recommended.”
Written for the American College of Sports Medicine by Darryn S. Willoughby, Ph.D., CSCS, FACSM
Water Treadmill is Not Necessary for Rehabilitation
Compared to the number of dogs in the world, then compared to the number of ruptured cruciate ligaments on aforementioned dogs, then compared to the number of said dogs with ruptured ligaments who are treated by a veterinarian, then compared to the number of those dogs who are taken to surgery for structural remedy, there are relatively very few rehab clinics in the world and fewer still water treadmills.
Dogs of the world do relatively “ok” on all areas of the treatment spectrum and definitely do not need to be “put down” due to ruptured cruciate ligament (torn ACL, CCL). I have encountered clients in my practice who were told unless they had surgery, the dog would have to go. Just wanted to clear up that situation.
That being said, and along with explaining the title of this blog, of foremost importance I will note that I came into veterinary functional rehabilitation with approximately 25 years experience in human sport science and nutrition. I decided to call my practice “functional rehab”, not having seen that designation applied much but having presumably heard the term somewhere. I decided to use it when I began an independent, mobile rehab practice in 2007, two years after starting and running a rehab clinic for a veterinary specialty hospital.
I became aware of the water treadmill via my work at the hospital, and I found that the use of it was/is widely promoted within veterinary medicine and the canine rehab model, which draws heavily from structured, academic-oriented, human physical therapy concepts. I think the overall concept is decent, yet the wtm is one very, very small tool in the vast array of protocol and modalities that exist in order to better the health of your pet.
Unfortunately, I found that what is not taught within this same model is a good basis and understanding of program design, writing training programs, and the development of dynamic activities/protocol designed to encourage healing and increase muscle and bone mass. These are principles I began learning over 30 years ago as an athlete, as a self-coached athlete, and then as a coach and trainer to others, even world-class athletes.
What does this mean to you and your pet (primarily dogs…)?
The chief complaint I hear from people who contact me is that they were referred to this clinic or that one for post-surgical rehab, and after many weeks of walking in the treadmill, moving around on balls, and doing a variety of other things, the dog is not much better or is not to a place where the owner feels comfortable with letting them be loose and rambunctious. They aren’t where the owner thought they would be after surgery. When I was in a clinic setting and working on utilising the wtm we had, I did structure the workouts to be progressively difficult, using a 3x workout adjustment protocol, meaning that if three workouts went well, then I changed the protocol, making the workout more dynamic. This could be done by increasing time or lowering water in the tank. Since I do not believe that much benefit is realised by walking in a wtm more than 20 min., and some data is published to recommend that animals not be worked beyond that time anyway, I find more benefit realised by lowering the water height, thus increasing the force on the joint/leg/muscle/bone.
HOWEVER, I also find that after very many years of reading many, many reports in sport science and regarding functional return to activity, the best benefit is realised via gravity-based, slow, structured exercise protocol, and I began developing that for small animal rehab since I did not find any published when I arrived on the scene.
Your dog will use their leg to some extent and increasingly after surgery if he/she is not in pain. That has been my finding after working with hundreds of cases. With that in mind, a structured workout program is entirely necessary and may vary from any standardized protocol depending on the nature of the dog and the owner.
If your dog is not using the leg within 2-3 days after surgery, then my findings are always that they are in pain, and that they are in pain due to 1) not enough post-op analgesic, which I believe should be a combo of at least two analgesics for potentially several weeks while we pursue the best activity and homework for healing (in this area we commonly use an nsaid and Tramadol); 2) infection, the pain of which will only be finally remedied by antibiotics (and subsequently the infection remedied as well); or 3) structural abnormality, i.e. some sort of failure related to the surgery, yet not necessarily the surgeons/your/your dogs *fault*.
The homework protocol I generically recommend is contained elsewhere in this blog. If you are within range of my services, I recommend you contact me for an evaluation appointment and we establish a base for your dog and then you perform the exercises which will bring solid healing while helping to also protect the opposing limb.
Thank you!
Intense Exercise, Muscle Soreness, Recovery, and Anti-inflammatories
Rehab Deb’s Comments: One of the most important bits of this report is something I’ve been reading more and more research regarding, and that is that nsaids (non-steroidal anti-inflammatories) stifle the healing process. I have also read several reports regarding the same and ice. Nsaids in animal medicine include Previcox, Deramaxx, Rimadyl, Metacam, etc…and for humans include Advil, Ibuprofen, Motrin, Tylenol, Aspirin, Aleve (sodium naproxen), etc…Does this mean to cut them out altogether? NO…it means think about the application, and possibly combine smaller doses of several analgesics, depending on the issue, rather than higher and continuous doses of nsaids.
This is only one suggestion.
Ultimately this should be discussed with the medical practitioner who prescribed the meds in the first place. There are other reasons to minimize nsaids and use Tramadol and/or Gabapentin and/or other analgesics to alleviate pain for the short run while building muscle to support damaged joints. Many practitioners are aware of using these other drugs, and while they may not know about this more recent news regarding nsaids delaying healing and muscle growth, which came out of human sport science, vets seem to be interested in the information when it is presented to them.
Article from Dr. Gabe Mirkin’s Fitness and Health E-Zine
May 6, 2012
How to Recover from Muscle Soreness Caused by Intense Exercise
Muscle soreness should be part of every exercise program. If you don’t exercise intensely enough on one day to have sore muscles on the next, you will not gain maximum fitness and you are also losing out on many of the health benefits of exercise. The benefits of exercise are much greater with intense exercise than with casual exercising.
You must damage your muscles to make them grow and become stronger. When muscles heal, they are stronger than they were before you damaged them. All athletes train by “stressing and recovering”. On one day, they take a hard workout in which they feel their muscles burning. Eight to 24 hours after they finish this intense exercise, their muscles start to feel sore. This is called Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS). Then they take easy workouts until the soreness is gone, which means that their muscles have healed.
DOMS IS CAUSED BY MUSCLE DAMAGE. Muscles are made up of fibers. The fibers are made up of a series of protein blocks called sarcomeres that are lined in a long chain. When you stretch a muscle, you stretch apart the sarcomeres in the chain. When sarcomeres are stretched too far, they tear. Your body
treats these tears in the same way that it treats all injuries, by a process called inflammation. Eight to 24 hours after an intense workout, you suffer swelling, stiffness and pain.
The most beneficial intense exercise program is:
* severe enough to cause muscle pain on the next day, and
* usually allows you to recover almost completely within 48 hours.
ACTIVE, NOT PASSIVE, RECOVERY: When athletes feel soreness in their muscles, they rarely take days off. Neither should you. Keeping sore muscles moving makes them more fibrous and tougher when they heal, so you can withstand greater forces and more intense workouts on your hard days. Plan to go at low intensity for as many days as it takes for the soreness to go away. Most athletes try to work out just hard enough so that they recover and are ready for their next hard workout in 48 hours.
TIMING MEALS TO RECOVER FASTER: You do not need to load extra food to recover faster. Taking in too much food fills your muscle cells with fat, and extra fat in cells blocks the cell’s ability to take in and use sugar. Sugar is the main source of energy for your muscles during intense exercise. Using sugar to drive your muscles helps them to move faster and with more strength. Timing of meals is more important than how much food you eat. Eating protein- and carbohydrate-containing foods helps you recover faster, and the best time to start eating is as soon as you finish a hard workout. At rest, muscles are inactive. Almost no sugar enters the resting muscle cell from the bloodstream (J. Clin. Invest. 1971;50: 2715-2725). Almost all cells in your body usually require insulin to drive sugar into their cells. However during exercise your muscles (and your brain) can take sugar into their cells without needing insulin. Exercising muscles are also incredibly sensitive to insulin and take up sugar into their cells at a rapid rate. This effect lasts maximally for up to an hour after you finish exercising and disappears almost completely in around 17 hours. The best time to eat for recovery is when your cells are maximally responsive to insulin, and that is within a short time after you finish exercising. Not only does insulin drive sugar into muscle cells, it also drives in protein building blocks, called amino acids. The sugar replaces the fuel for muscle cells. The protein hastens repair of damaged muscle. Waiting to eat for more than an hour after finishing an intense workout delays recovery.
WHAT TO EAT AFTER YOUR INTENSE WORKOUTS: Fatigue is caused by low levels of sugar, protein, water and salt. You can replace all of these with ordinary foods and drinks. If you are a vegetarian, you can replace your protein with combinations of grains and beans. You can replace carbohydrates by eating
virtually any fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, seeds and nuts. A recovery meal for a vegetarian could include corn, beans, water, bread, and fruits, nuts and vegetables. If you prefer animal tissue, you can get your protein from fish, poultry,or meat. Special sports drinks and sports supplements are made from ordinary foods and therefore offer no advantage whatever over regular foods.
BODY MASSAGE: Many older studies have shown that massage does not help you recover faster from DOMS. Recently, researchers at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario showed that deep massage after an intense workout causes muscles to enlarge and grow new mitochondria (Science Translational
Medicine, published online Feb, 2012). This is amazing. Enlarging and adding mitochondria can help you run faster, lift heavier weights, and even prevent heart attacks and certain cancers.
NSAIDS DELAY DOMS RECOVERY: Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), such as ibuprofen, may help relieve pain, but they also can block muscle repair and delay healing.
HOT BATHS: Most research shows that a hot bath is not much better than doing nothing in helping muscles recover from exercise (European Journal of Applied Physiology, March 2006) (RehabDeb’s comment: On the other hand, Epsom Salts Soak/Bath works well for humans and the dogs and cats I’ve encouraged toward that therapy. Of course, this is more than “just” a hot bath…)
COLD OR ICE BATHS: A recent review of 17 small trials, involving 366 participants, showed a minor decrease in DOMS with ice water baths. They found “little quality research” on the subject and “no consistent method of cold water immersion” (Cochrane Library, published online February 15, 2012). Cold water immersion can reduce swelling associated with injury, but has not been proven to speed the healing of DOMS.
Filed under: HOMEWORK SUGGESTIONS FOR FUNCTIONAL REHAB Tagged: dog with hind end weakness, exercise for neurological weakness, hyperextended tarsal joint, neuro-muscular weakness, neurological
