Physical therapy has been a traditional medical intervention for over 75 years. Physical therapy encompasses a spectrum of services: examination, intervention, consultation, education and research and by definition the practice of physical therapy is performed on humans. In the veterinary field, the preferred term is rehabilitation. Colonial Veterinary Hospital is proud to be home to a licensed human physical therapist who has also earned a degree in veterinary technology which enables her to perform rehabilitation services on our animal patients.
Examination includes taking a history, systems review and a variety of tests and measures in order to determine diagnosis, prognosis and intervention. We assess aerobic capacity and endurance, joint motion and integrity, muscle strength, arousal and cognition, assistive and adaptive devices, cranial nerve integrity, environmental barriers, body mechanics, gait, locomotion, balance, skin integrity, motor function, neuromotor development and sensory integration, orthotics, protective and prosthetic devices, pain, posture, reflexes, circulation and edema.
The goal of our rehabilitation service is to alleviate impairment and functional limitation by designing, implementing and modifying therapeutic interventions that include: therapeutic exercise, functional training, manual therapy, massage, gait training, home care instruction, neuromuscular re-education, adaptive devices and equipment, wound management, electrotherapeutic modalities and physical agents.
Prevention of injury, impairment, functional limitation and disability is also part of our rehabilitation service. This includes promoting and maintaining fitness, health and quality of life in all age populations.
