Physiotherapy

What you can do to help your own horse's back

Animal Physiotherapy

Physiotherapy may be defined as the use of physical techniques for the treatment of injuries and movement dysfunction.

In the world of human medicine, physiotherapy has been proven as an indispensable aid in the recovery of many muscloskeletal conditions, as evidenced by the extensive physiotherapy departments within most hospitals.

Nowadays, this important branch of medicine is also rapidly becoming a recognised tool in the prevention, cure, and rehabilitation of many equine, canine and feline injuries.

Many common conditions respond well to physiotherapy:

Before physiotherapy can commence, it is imperative that a veterinary diagnosis is obtained.

This is necessary for 2 reasons:-

• Obviously, without a correct diagnosis the correct treatment cannot be administered
• The Veterinary Surgeons Act of 1962 makes it illegal for anyone to treat an animal without authorisation from the vet in charge of the case.

Physiotherapy encompasses many different techniques. These include both the skilled use of the physiotherapist's hands and the use of modern therapeutic modalities.

A treatment may involve just one or a combination of the above techniques.

The goal of each treatment will vary according to each individual case, but generally will include:

• Reduction of pain
• Improvement of mobility
• Return to pre-injury strength and flexibility
• Prevention of reoccurence of injury

Training In order to be qualified to carry out physiotherapy for animals in the UK

Training must be undertaken with either of the following organisations:-

This article was written by Fiona Martin, BSc.Hons, MSc, N.A.A.T. She is based in Rugby, Warwickshire and specialises in physiotherapy for dogs.