What can Veterinary Physiotherapy do?
The products and methods available, and what their benefits are.
Static and Dynamic
assessment
Static and dynamic observations offer first impressions and indicate areas of pain and compensations (limping) which begins to form the very early structure and goals for the rehabilitation programme. Conformation and breed may also play a part in forming the picture for treatments and actions going forwards.
Manual Therapy
Palpation, Massage & stretching.
Manual interaction with your dog's tissues provides feedback of tension, restrictions, pain and signs of inflammation. This indicates compensation and potential biomechanical problems and offers the initial Massage and stretching can be used to encourage greater blood flow, increased muscle flexibility and improved muscle, tendon, ligament and joint health. This is a effective treatment for pain and biomechanics dysfunction when used with strengthening programmes.
Electrotherapies
Muscle stimulation & LASER therapy
Early stages of rehabilitation are usually painful. This causes dogs to compensate and stop using their muscles and bodies in effective ways. Using electrotherapies to prevent this cycle can be helpful in reducing pain. LASER has been shown to reduce pain reaction in animals. Muscle stimulation machines like H wave offer an activation and strengthening component without increasing load or damage on limbs that may be sore.
Exercise prescription
Getting back to full health and strength
Once the initial stages of rest and pain relief are under way, the most crucial phase begins: strengthening and controlled re-introduction of work and exercise. Understanding the balance between strengthening enough for progress, but not so much for damage is where a trained animal physiotherapist is beneficial to your pet's rehabilitation journey.