Hypertonicity & Muscle Tightnessoccur to most people and dogs at some point in their lives. If your dog is living with a pre-existing condition, such as an orthopaedic condition or muscle injury, these two conditions can make hypertonicity worse as the range of motion is restricted, furthering pain and inhibiting movement and mobility.

Refers to a muscle resting length. Tightness can also be seen as stiffness and lack of range of motion when a dog is on the move. Tightness will over-excite sensory receptors called Muscle Spindles which are responsible for detecting changes in the length of the muscle. When the muscle is tight the fascia becomes abnormal as it begins to tighten, stopping normal muscle function and producing nociceptive pain.

Occurs when a muscle has too much resting tone. Feels hard and inflexible and is prone to trigger points when left (Knots), the muscle cannot relax efficiently to allow it to recuperate and renew as the muscle is held in a persistent state of contraction which fatigues it, leading to a pain cycle.