Specially Designed Exercises
Exercise can benefit patients in many ways. It can assist in increasing range of motion, stability, endurance and strength. Exercise improves balance, motor control, proprioception and flexibility. Our veterinarians use exercises to help normalize muscle tone, reduce pain, promote functional independence.
Therapeutic exercise is a key component of any rehabilitation program for a variety of ailments. It is the basis treatment for animals that are obese, and is commonly a component of a total treatment plan for numerous other problems. Therapeutic exercise includes activities and techniques to improve physical function and overall health.
In physical rehabilitation, programs may be developed to treat injuries, to stimulate healing of the injuries, and to enhance reconditioning of the injured segment. Because of the biomechanical forces acting on the body during the reparative phases of healing, certain segments may become stronger than other segments. Exercise programs should be implemented to remedy any conditioning imbalances of the body. The basic goals should be to allow the tissues to heal, then to recondition the tissues so that they can accept predetermined workloads, and finally to recondition the entire body to balance any conditioning deficits.
Stretching can also be use to improve flexibility and promote better range of motion, better circulation, and provide more oxygen to muscles.