Physiotherapy

Question 1

What is the basis of physiotherapy?

Answer 1

• physical techniques with a direct impact on healing tissues
• excercises that promote proprioceptive learning

Question 2

Types of physiotherapy?

Answer 2

> massage
- pain reliefe, mobility, preventative in atheletes
cryotherapy
- affect vasculature and nerves directly, can be used in non-ambulatory patients for acute inflammation, tx ~20mins
thermotherapy
- affects vasc and nerves directly
- NOT for acute phase! only once initial swelling decreased
ROM
- passive ROM (anagesia? sedation? relax animal, single joint flexed and extended, or whoe group [functional pattern] 15-20x BID-QID
- active assisted ROM (once paient can walk, +- hydrotheray, manually assist limb to ^ ROM, change excercise to encourage)
Stretching
- taking joint past ROM to oppose shortening of tissues and break down fibrosis and adhesion (15secs then relese)
- prolonged static stretching useing casts, splint or bandage
- ballistic stretching (bouncing, hard to control, painful, risk of injury)
Electrotherapy, laser and ultrasound

Question 3

How does massage work?

Answer 3

• ^ ciculation and lymphatic flow
• relaxation and relese of endorphins
• pain relef
• direct activation of neuropeptide release in nervous system

Question 4

Types of massage?

Answer 4

• stroking
• effleurage
• compression and wringing (petrissage)
• percussion (specifc attention to spasmic nodules)

Question 5

Methods of cryotherapy?

Answer 5

• plastic bag with ice
• cryogel packs
• vappour collant
  > 20 min tx, monitor for frostbite!!

Question 6

Use of ultrasound for physiotherapy?

Answer 6

• heating effect of deep tissues
• like a microwave
• direct effect hard to monior
• short tx (~10mins)
• useful for soft tissue shortening, subacute and chornic inflammation and pain
• eg. tendonitis, bursitis, joint contrcture, mm pain and spasm

Question 7

Use of electrical stimulation for physio?

Answer 7

• NMES = neuromuscular electrostimulation
• current applied to patient depolarises motor nerve -> contrction
• ^ muscle mass, strength and oxidative capacity
• analgesic ?

Question 8

Laser tx for physio?

Answer 8

• least evidence
• claimed to work on vasodilation, pain and tissue regeneration d/t heating and direct photostimulation
• difficult to monitor how far effect penetrates skin

Question 9

How is proprioceptive training used for physio?

Answer 9

> key to all physio 
> eg: 
- weight shifting
- manual unloading of one limb
- balance boards
- ecercise balls
- gait training
- leash walking - slow
- inclines and declines
- change of surface
- sairs
0 treadmills
- dnacing 
- sit to stand
- horizontal bars
- pole weaving

Question 10

Use of hydrotherapy for physio?

Answer 10

• free swimming/assisted swimming/under water treadmill/walking in water
• do not overexcercise at beginining of tx
• make sure limbs make a proper gait cycle
• minimised impact loads across joints (resistive forces are vicosity, riction and turbulence - spread across a larger area so less detrimental)

Question 11

Who does physiotherapy?

Answer 11

• nurses and vets with specifc experience and training

- qualified human physios with cnversion qualification