What is Physiotherapy?
- Physiotherapy is defined as the restoration of movement and function.
- Involves professional assessment and evidence-based, clinical reasoning process to select appropriate interventions, treatments and management of individual patients with respect to physical, psychological, emotional and social wellbeing.
- The physiotherapist’s aim is to reach a functional That is, identification of existing or potential impairments, activity limitations, participation restrictions, environmental influences or abilities/disabilities. Veterinary physiotherapy is an extension of evidence-based practice in the human field.
What does physiotherapy involve?
- Physiotherapists use physical interventions, such as manual therapies, specific motor retraining, exercise prescription, hydrotherapy and electrophysical agents, in conjunction with education and advice to restore function and quality of life.
- Treatments are selected to manage sensory and motor disturbances and provocative factors in work or sport for functional improvement and activity-specific performance rehabilitation.
- Selection of the appropriate combination of techniques is based on clinical reasoning, assessment and reassessment of the patient.
- Reassessment of improvement following treatment dictated by objective outcome measures.
Regulations and the Team Approach
The title ‘physiotherapist’ is protected by law and regulated by CORU (Irelands multi-profession health regulator) and ISCP (Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists) and as such may only be used by individuals who are registered with the respective government body.
Why Choose a Chartered Physiotherapist?
- a professionally medically trained physiotherapist has highly developed manual skills, based on their training with verbal feedback from their human patients.
- For many equine musculoskeletal disorders, there will also be an impact of the rider and the ability of the physiotherapist to professionally assess the rider as well as the horse cannot be underestimated.
- Chartered physiotherapists examine movement and posture. Their expertise is developed by having an in-depth knowledge of anatomy, biomechanics, pathology and physiology which enables them to assess and treat different problems.
- the Physiotherapist is a key facilitator of multidisciplinary team which predominantly consists of veterinarian, farrier, saddler, dentist, trainer, physiotherapist, handler and rider.
Common Conditions Treated
- Post operative orthopaedic surgery cases.
- Spinal pain
- Tendon and ligament muscle strains
- Muscle atrophy
- Nerve damage
- Arthritic stiffness
- Cruciate ligament disease or injury
- Hip Dysplasia
- Elbow dysplasia
- Luxating Patella
- Intervertebral disc disease
- Fibrocartilaginous embolism (FCE)
- Degenerative myelopathy (DM)
- Vestibular disease
- Geriatric care and conditioning
- Weight management.
- Routine maintenance of horses and dogs.
Management
Physiotherapy treatment is an adjunct to veterinary treatment, not a substitute.
Our chartered physiotherapists follow most patients as outpatients once they have gone home for recuperation. These cases are then discharged with a home care plan that includes specific advice and a home exercise programme. Many of these cases will then return for outpatient rehabilitation where their recovery is then progressed until either full function is achieved or the clinician deems it appropriate for them to be discharged. A lot of these cases will visit again in the future for maintenance sessions to manage recurrence of any issues.
