Sarah Darling - Founder of K9 Gait Massage Therapy
Providing canine massage (rehabilitation therapies) lifestyle management to dogs in areas of Herefordshire, Shropshire & Powys.
For most of my life I have been a passionate advocate in promoting health and well-being for humans. I had a wonderful 23-year career as remedial/sports massage therapist, a personal trainer, and nutrition consultant, which also allowed me the good fortune of working for many years with celebrity sports, tv and music personalities.
A fundamental area of my work was the privilege of working with clients who showed strength and courage coping with long term conditions and challenges such as, amputees, Parkinson’s disease, Multiple sclerosis and Chronic osteoarthritis.
My beautiful golden retriever Bella would often join me and my clients on our training hikes and was a great comfort to those who needed it.
After the heart-breaking loss of my loyal companion, and while going through some life changes, I found myself at a crossroads. It was a chance meeting with a dog in 2017 who was recovering from a cruciate injury, that changed my life forever!
Understanding the tensions and discomforts we can develop, whether through chronic orthopaedic issues, neurological dysfunctions, amputations, injuries, or from day-to-day activities we may participate, I knew this dog was experiencing discomfort, even though his tail was wagging! So I set about on a journey of research into our canine companions.
I quickly realised that If it wasn’t for the fur coats and cute faces, it was all sounding so familiar to what I had been working with in humans for all those years. The difference of course, is where we as humans can vocalise our pain and discomfort, sadly our dog can often suffer in silence.
I enrolled on the nationally recognised Merishia Canine Massage Practitioner course. With its in-depth training, it gave me the skills needed to interpret a dogs’ none verbal communication, which enabled me to transfer my 23 years’ experience in human Remedial/ sports massage, to specialising in Canine Clinical Massage Therapy.
Sarah and Daisy
Constantly learning, I continue to add many modalities and skills to an ever growing tool box, to ensure I can provide the best and most appropriate therapy to help our gorgeous dogs.
I was first introduced to Photizo in 2020. I have to say it has become a game changer in the management and recovery of my clients. The Photizo’s bio-stimulatory effects, not only help deeply relax the dogs I treat, but allows me to ease painful tensions and trigger points that often can prevent too much manipulation through developing sensitivities.
I have witnessed the most incredible and profound results from clients with IVDD, OA, neurological disorders, trauma and post-surgery, which continuously overwhelm not just me, but the dogs’ parents, who often invest in a machine to manage their dogs condition at home.
In my spare time I volunteer at my local animal rescue providing physical & emotional support to help them find their forever home.
I work with many dogs with extreme sensitives which can develop do to pain in their body. Even the slightest noise or touch can cause them stress and anxiety.
This led to me asking Photizo if they could remove the beep from a machine for me, allowing me to help these vulnerable dogs.
The outcome had such profound results, allowing me to help ease pains I was unable to with touch alone.
Not only having the scientific proof of the benefits of photobiomodulation, with witnessing it first hand day after day, I could not recommend it enough to be a part of a home management tool.
I have to say that having a career working with dogs allows me to wake up every morning feeling truly blessed.
“I was first introduced to Photizo in 2020. I have to say it has become a game changer in the management and recovery of my clients. The Photizo’s bio-stimulatory effects, not only help deeply relax the dogs I treat, but allows me to ease painful tensions and trigger points that often can prevent too much manipulation through developing sensitivities.”