Physiotherapy*

what are the 4 main treatment techniques for physiotherapy?

• manual physiotherapy

• electrotherapy

• hydrotherapy

• rehabilitation

what does manual physiotherapy include?

• mobilisations

• trigger points

• passive / active / assisted range of movement

• stretches

• massage

• myofascial release

• reciprocal inhibition

• combined muscular / neural movements

what does electrotherapy include?

• laser

• ultrasound

• pulsed electromagnetic therapy (PEME)

• neuromuscular electrical stimulations (NMES)
  transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulations (TENS)

what does hydrotherapy include?

• swimming

• water treadmill

• spa

what does rehabiliation include?

• restore maximum possible function post-accident, injury or disease

• change abnormal movement patterns caused by the injury

• prevent reoccurrence of injury

• combination of modalities

• owner participation

• vet participation

when would we want to use physiotherapy?

• when there is dysfunction in movement

• when there is pain

• when there is change in function

• patients can be geriatric, sports, companion, young, etc.

what orthopaedic conditions are appropriate for physiotherapy?

• hip and elbow dysplasia

• stifle pathology

• oesteoarthritis - spinal and peripheral joints

• soft tissue injury

• fracture

• lameness

what neurological conditions are appropriate for physiotherapy?

• degenerative myelopathy

• intervertebral disc disease

• fibrocartilaginous embolism

• polyradiculoneuropathy

what does the physio do?

• use palpation to identify pain and differences

• use graded outcome measures

• use combined movements to test combined structures

• reassess continuously

• MDT (medical diagnosis therapy) approach - diagnostics, history, etc.