SPINAL MUSCLE SPASM
Oct 15, 2009 15:30:12 GMT 10
Post by Tom Meulman on Oct 15, 2009 15:30:12 GMT 10
SPINAL MUSCLE SPASM
The problems associated with spinal muscle spasm, the resultant nerve compression and their effects, are probably the most miss-understood and miss-diagnosed of any of the injuries sustained by the racing greyhound.
The brain via the spinal cord, supplies every muscle and internal organ with the signal to effect normal function, and receives signals back including those in the form of a pain response.
Spinal muscle spasm and spinal compression may interfere with those signals.
We worry about wrist joints, hock joints, shoulder joints etc. and yet, counting from the base of the skull and including the very top tail segments, there are about 30 joints in the spine that, if damaged, can seriously interfere with the way a greyhound gallops.
The muscles of the spine are one of the largest and hardest working muscles in the body, and have a considerable effect on how well the greyhound stretches out and how fast it runs.
Examining the spine is as important as checking the limbs, if not more so.
The fact that you can bounce his spine up and down without the dog collapsing in pain means absolutely nothing, when it comes to detecting spinal or spinal muscle damage.
Each spinal segment must be checked individually for soundness and stability, including any referred pain it may be causing.
In fact, referred pain provides a good guide to the location of the problem and the type of therapy or spinal adjustment that is required to relieve it.
However, simply relieving a spinal muscle spasm does not cure the problem, a muscle spasm indicates damage to the tissue and requires follow up treatment, like any other muscle injury.
I find it rather disconcerting that people who have a “crook back” will go to a Chiropractor for relief and afterwards will hobble around in pain (sometimes for weeks), and yet expect a greyhound to run like a champion the day after having a spinal problem treated.
A specific muscle spasm across a specific spinal segment or groups of segments will have an effect on a specific muscle or muscle group.
This effect may include: excessive muscle tone, reduced muscle tone, reduced muscle volume (Muscle atrophy) and reduced reflexes.
It may also cause an exaggerated pain response in specific muscles or bone surfaces when they are checked for injuries, (that is, excessive pain in relation to the amount of pressure being placed on the area) and severe pain on flexion or driving pressure on the affected limb.
Compression of the main nerve pathways in the CERVICAL (neck) or the THORACIC (upper spine – saddle area) will severely affect the function of the front limbs and can have a detrimental effect on box speed.
While compression of the nerve pathways of LUMBAR (coupling area) and SACRUM (lower back) will affect the ability to accelerate quickly.
Voluntary movement requires control by the brain; a long-standing and severe spinal problem may also cause some uncoordinated movement.
However, uncoordinated movement is generally caused by a far more severe problem such as spinal lesions or brain damage.
The problems associated with spinal muscle spasm, the resultant nerve compression and their effects, are probably the most miss-understood and miss-diagnosed of any of the injuries sustained by the racing greyhound.
The brain via the spinal cord, supplies every muscle and internal organ with the signal to effect normal function, and receives signals back including those in the form of a pain response.
Spinal muscle spasm and spinal compression may interfere with those signals.
We worry about wrist joints, hock joints, shoulder joints etc. and yet, counting from the base of the skull and including the very top tail segments, there are about 30 joints in the spine that, if damaged, can seriously interfere with the way a greyhound gallops.
The muscles of the spine are one of the largest and hardest working muscles in the body, and have a considerable effect on how well the greyhound stretches out and how fast it runs.
Examining the spine is as important as checking the limbs, if not more so.
The fact that you can bounce his spine up and down without the dog collapsing in pain means absolutely nothing, when it comes to detecting spinal or spinal muscle damage.
Each spinal segment must be checked individually for soundness and stability, including any referred pain it may be causing.
In fact, referred pain provides a good guide to the location of the problem and the type of therapy or spinal adjustment that is required to relieve it.
However, simply relieving a spinal muscle spasm does not cure the problem, a muscle spasm indicates damage to the tissue and requires follow up treatment, like any other muscle injury.
I find it rather disconcerting that people who have a “crook back” will go to a Chiropractor for relief and afterwards will hobble around in pain (sometimes for weeks), and yet expect a greyhound to run like a champion the day after having a spinal problem treated.
A specific muscle spasm across a specific spinal segment or groups of segments will have an effect on a specific muscle or muscle group.
This effect may include: excessive muscle tone, reduced muscle tone, reduced muscle volume (Muscle atrophy) and reduced reflexes.
It may also cause an exaggerated pain response in specific muscles or bone surfaces when they are checked for injuries, (that is, excessive pain in relation to the amount of pressure being placed on the area) and severe pain on flexion or driving pressure on the affected limb.
Compression of the main nerve pathways in the CERVICAL (neck) or the THORACIC (upper spine – saddle area) will severely affect the function of the front limbs and can have a detrimental effect on box speed.
While compression of the nerve pathways of LUMBAR (coupling area) and SACRUM (lower back) will affect the ability to accelerate quickly.
Voluntary movement requires control by the brain; a long-standing and severe spinal problem may also cause some uncoordinated movement.
However, uncoordinated movement is generally caused by a far more severe problem such as spinal lesions or brain damage.