WHAT IS VETERINARY PHYSIOTHERAPY?

Veterinary Physiotherapy utilises a range of modalities and treatments in order to remove pain, restore function and improve performance. A common misconception is that physiotherapy is a last resort after injury or surgery, but physiotherapy can actually be used to prevent injury, maintain fitness and reduce the likelihood of surgery in some cases.

Below are just a few of the treatments that you could expect to see:

Manual Therapies

Massage: Excellent for reducing muscle tension and spasm, breaking down scar tissue, pain relief and mental relaxation.

Stretching: Elongating soft tissues such as muscle. Effective in reducing muscle spasm and tightness, loosening off painful areas and increasing joint range of motion.

Passive Range of Motion: this involves gently moving a joint through its normal and comfortable range of motion. Great for increasing range of motion of arthritic joints, to keep everything comfortable and moving freely.

Cryotherapy and Thermotherapy: Using varying temperature for therapeutic effect e.g. cold to reduce inflammation, heat to provide pain relief in aching joints.

Electrotherapies

TENS: Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation. This involves sending electrical signals into soft tissues, which can help to block pain response, providing a form of pain relief. Good for areas of muscle tightness and especially useful in treating back pain in horses.

LED therapy: photobiomodulation works by using light photons to stimulate cell activity. Useful for improving tissue healing and providing pain relief to a range of conditions.

COMING SOON...

PEMF: Pulsed Electro-Magnetic Field therapy. Uses electro-magnetic forces to stimulate changes within soft tissues. Excellent for providing pain relief, reducing inflammation and accelerating bone healing.

Remedial Exercise Programmes

Remedial exercise can improve balance, co-ordination, nerve function and muscle strength, as well as being a great form of mental stimulation.

Tilly uses a range of equipment for exercise rehabilitation such as poles, peanut balls and therabands, but many owners find ways to utilise every day objects!

Remedial exercise is not only helpful in animals post surgery, but is an excellent tool for increasing fitness and conditioning in working/sporting animals too.