perfect gait THERAPIES
Veterinary Physiotherapy
Veterinary Physiotherapy utilizes both manual techniques and electrotherapies to support recovery after surgery or injury, to improve performance and to maintain mobility and comfort in later life. Through their knowledge in animal anatomy, muscle movement, conformation and gait, veterinary physiotherapists can identify early symptoms and compensations. Therefore, veterinary physiotherapy can also act as a preventative therapy, to limit the risk of injury and enhance performance in athletic animals.
Exercise Therapy
Holly has a keen interest in exercise therapy and is currently working on her MSc project, which is investigating how specific exercise therapies can have long term impacts to a horse’s gait.
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An exercise therapy plan is provided to all clients after each appointment and advice on how to carry out each of the exercises in the plan is provided. However, for those who would like additional help or would like to learn about a variety of exercises which might also help their animal’s long term conditioning, strength and overall fitness, exercise therapy sessions are also available.
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These entail:
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An initial static, dynamic and palpation assessment to identify areas to target through exercise.
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We will discuss your animal’s current exercise routines and your long term aims.
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Using a variety of equipment, I will work with you and your animal to find suitable exercises which can help to establish and maintain long term improvements.
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I will work with you to help you understand what you need to identify to be confident that your animal is working correctly.
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We will establish a number of exercises which you feel confident to perform so that you have variety in your weekly routine.
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You will receive a long term exercise plan to help focus you sessions after the appointment.
These sessions can be one off sessions to help get you started in exercise therapy, they can be monthly sessions to help you progress and continue to increase you knowledge or, if preferred, can be weekly sessions where I come and work with your animal for you.
All sessions include use of equipment and individualised exercise plan (sent after the appointment).
Exercise therapy clinics can also be held at yards or venues, where shared or group sessions are also available.
For a full list of our next clinic dates and venues, please click here.
electrotheraphies
The electrotherapies used by Perfect Gait Veterinary Physiotherapy have been specifically selected and only those which have been extensively researched and evidenced have been included in our tool box. This not only enables us to have confidence in our therapies, it also ensures we understand the contraindications to ensure safe practice. All of the electrotherapies we use are used alongside manual and exercise therapy to achieve optimum results.
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If you would like to learn more about the electrotherapy used during your animal’s appointment, please ask and Holly will be happy to provide further details.
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LASER THERAPIES
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Perfect Gait Veterinary Physiotherapy uses a Class IV K-Laser, which incorporates both infrared and visible red light. Energy from the light beam is transferred to the target tissue, where it alters the chemical structure within the target cells to increase cellular metabolism and enhance healing. Laser phototherapy can also reduce pain through its analgesic effects, can reduce inflammation in both acute and chronic conditions, improves oxygenation of tissue through increasing circulation, helps to reduce muscle spasm when used alongside manual techniques and supports efficient wound healing after injury or surgery. Our Class IV K-Laser has three wavelengths, each of which have been selected for their ability to target specific cells for optimum effect.
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THERAPEUTIC ULTRASOUND
Therapeutic ultra sound is the application of sound waves to a target tissue. As the waves travel through tissue, they achieve a mechanical micro massage effect, which increases circulation, enhances the production of collagen and increases tissue extensibility. Ultrasound is particularly effective in reducing scar tissue through its ability to encourage correct orientation of newly forming collagen fibres during the healing process. Due to this property, it is a very good therapy option in tendon and ligament healing.
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PULSED ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD THERAPY
PEMT enhances the body’s repair process through using dynamic magnets with a pulsed current, which restore or change the electrical charge or potential of a cell. It can be used to reduce muscle spasm, reduce inflammation, to help reduce fracture pain and support repair, enhance nerve regeneration and for pain control.
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NEUROMUSCULAR ELECRTICAL STIMULATION
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NMES applies a small electrical current to specifically targeted muscles to stimulate movement. This is effective when muscle mass needs to be rebuilt or maintained during periods of injury or inactivity to maintain functional strength and prevent atrophy (muscle loss).
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TRANSCUTANEOUS ELECTRICAL NERVE STIMULATION
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In animals, this therapy is used for pain control. Both sensory and motor nerves are stimulated to reduce pain through the release of specific neurotransmitters. It is particularly useful to manage pain after surgery.
INDIBA therapy
INDIBA therapy is a non-invasive radio frequency therapy which delivers energy to tissue cells
through a closed electrical circuit. It can target both superficial and deeper, more resistive tissues
such as bone, scar tissue and fibrotic tissue. It can also reach greater depths of anatomy, making it an effective treatment for the equine sacroiliac area and for deeper muscles of the equine back, neck and hind quarters, which can be difficult to influence via manual therapy or other electrotherapies.
INDIBA therapy can provide either thermal or sub thermal therapy, which enables it to be successfully used on chronic and acute conditions. Thermal effects include an increase in circulation,
which increases oxygen delivery to cells, lymphatic drainage to achieve an anti-inflammatory effect and reduces pain. The thermal effects achieved by INDIBA therapy help to improve the flexibility
and elasticity of tissues and improve muscle function, making it an ideal maintenance treatment for performances horses or those in full work.
INDIBA’s specific frequency of 448 kHz enables the
therapy to achieve evidenced sub thermal effects unique to this frequency. These effects promote cellular repair and tissue regeneration through activation of the body’s natural mechanisms of recovery. Therefore, INDIBA therapy can support recovery from a range of injuries and degenerative conditions, including: tendonitis; desmitis; bursitis; joint degeneration; muscle tears; sprains; fractures and fissures; pain management and control of inflammation.
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before enquiring?
Just pop your message below and I will be sure to be in touch as soon as possible for a no obligation chat.