Why Physical Therapists Are Best Suited To Be Your Canine Rehab Provider

Physical Therapists are ideally suited to be your canine rehabilitation provider because of their unique background in musculoskeletal anatomy, kinesiology, and movement analysis. PT’s study anatomy and kinesiology in depth, for years. According to dictionary.com kinesiology is “the science dealing with the interrelationship of physiological processes and anatomy of the human body with respect to movement”. They then study movement analysis and gait and how gait is altered based on muscle or joint issues. PT’s also learn how to work on those issues to restore proper movement and function.

It’s true, physical therapists are initially learning all these things on humans. However, most of us have years of experience with this prior to coming into the animal realm. Canine and feline musculoskeletal systems are not very different from ours, the main difference being that animals are quadrupedal (stand on four legs). PT’s can easily adapt knowledge of bipedal humans to your quadrupedal pets.

Other rehab providers may have more experience working with animals, but do not have the vast knowledge base and understanding of kinesiology, gait, and movement patterns that help interpret the evaluation and they do not have the background in exercise science to safely and effectively progress your pet through proper treatment. Physical therapists are already accustomed to working with doctors in coordinating care for humans, so it easily translates to working closely with primary and/or referring veterinarians to provide the best care for your pet.

There are several canine rehab certification classes available, but they all accept different levels of educational background into their programs, so do your research. What is the rehab provider’s background? Are they well suited and knowledgeable enough to get your pet to reach their goals in a suitable time frame? Just like you should know who is treating you or your loved one for healthcare, you should know who is treating your best friend and trust that they possess the skills and knowledge to help your pet recover.

Up Next: To be determined

I’ve covered a lot of ground over the last several months with weekly educational topics for this blog to cover common health issues and common treatments provided in canine rehab. I will be decreasing the frequency now that I have completed that and try to come up with some other interesting topics. Let me know if there’s something you want me to cover!