Many people think of underwater treadmills when veterinary rehab is mention but it is so much more. Veterinary Rehabilitation can be thought of as physical therapy for animals which can induced many different therapeutic options and combinations of treatments.
The American Association of Rehabilitation Veterinarians describes veterinary rehabilitation as the “Physical rehabilitation is the diagnosis and management of patients with painful or functionally limiting conditions, particularly those with injury or illness related to the neurologic and musculoskeletal systems. The goal of rehabilitation is to achieve the highest level of function, independence and quality of life possible for the patient.”
To help animals achieve better function multiple modalities can be used including but not limited to
Therapeutic exercise
Thermotherapy (heat or cold)
Therapeutic laser
Therapeutic ultrasound
Therapeutic massage
Manual therapy/Joint Mobilization/Passive range of motion
Hydrotherapy (underwater treadmills and swimming pools)
Land treadmill
Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation
Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation
Shock Wave Therapy
Acupuncture
Veterinary Spinal Manipulative Therapy (chiropractic)
Pulsed Signal Therapy
Orthotics, prosthetics and assistive devices
Regenerative medicine
Trigger point therapy
Hyperbaric oxygen
Kinesiology taping
Any combination of the modalities can be used for a successful rehabilitation program. Here at Capital Performance we offer many of these modalities and do our best to continually add more options for our patients.
Rehabilitation can help patients recovering from surgery, experiencing lameness or gait abnormalities, suffering from nervous system deficits, experiencing stiffness or pain due to arthritis or aging. Specific exercise programs and evaluations can also be useful in helping to maintain athletic performance.
Let us know how what we can do to help your animal recover or maintain a desired level of performance.
