Benefits of Physiotherapy

How can Physiotherapy help you and your pet? 

​

Physiotherapy, be it regular or occasional, can have benefits far wider reaching than many people anticipate. Ultimately, the goal of physiotherapy in a rehabilitation case is to improve the welfare of your pet. This can be achieved in a number of ways but primarily we aim to reduce pain, whether this be directly (by the use of targeted manual or electrotherapies), or indirectly. Alongside primary pain relief, a physiotherapist can also help to enhance healing, be that of superficial or deep soft tissue wounds, bone damage or other soft tissue injuries such as tendon or ligament issues. Physiotherapy can also promote good muscle tone for your pet, taught muscles and 'knots' like you can get in your back can also have a huge effect on your pets well-being, and just as many an athlete or non-athlete alike can benefit from a massage, as can your pet. Many animals experience a number of secondary issues following an injury or issue, and the majority of these are seen as muscle tightness and imbalance, which your therapist should be able to reduce or eradicate. One of the secondary issues often seen in rehabilitation cases is a change in the way the patient moves, but there are many techniques and remedial exercises that can be used to help encourage your pet to move and use themselves properly, some of which can be brought home to continue the rehab outside of your sessions. 

​

Physiotherapy doesn't have to be exclusive to rehabilitation cases, it can also be hugely beneficial in general maintenance of your pet and for performance enhancement of your canine or equine athlete. Be it a riding school pony who deserves a bit of TLC, your happy hacker who's getting a little tight and stiff, or your competition horse who's muscles are suffering from the high work load and could do with a little refresh, physiotherapy could be the answer to make your horse more comfortable. Similarly with your elderly dog, a hard working gun dog or speedy agility dog, don't let fatigue, hard work or old age get in the way of your pets mojo!