Let’s talk about Rehab and Physical Therapy, and what the next few weeks will look like after a CCL injury and bracing. So, first off the first couple weeks we want to take things nice and easy. We are just going to incorporate Moist Heat, Range of Motion on the joint, and some light walking. We really don’t want to overdo anything, as there is most likely some mild swelling in the joint.
We have a schedule of Rehab, Range of motion, and walk schedules that we provide for each of our clients. We guide you over the next few weeks with different exercises you can do at home to help gain muscle and strength back on the injured leg.
Later into our schedule there will be different exercises, such as sit to stands. With the Sit to stand, we have your dog sit then stand, and offer a treat. Kind of like dog squats. These help to build the thigh muscle. Please do not do the sit to stands if your dog has a meniscal injury. If you are unsure, you can always ask your service Veterinary Technician. We have some demo videos on our FB page that will show you how to do each activity.
Another activity is called figure 8’s. This is where you will walk your dog around 2 chairs, or cones, in a figure 8 motion, then go back the other way. Another one is called curb work. For this one, you will have your dog standing parallel to a curb, and have them step up and down off of the curb, as you are walking straight. This really works the inner and outer thigh muscle, kind of like step aerobics.
A lot of our patients come with different stages of atrophy in the muscles, and with any injury it is very important to build on these muscles to get better.
With the brace they are able to put full weight on their leg, so even if you just walk your dog twice daily, this will really help. This may result is soreness for the first couple weeks with bracing and walks, but you will see this subside as they get stronger. Please let us know if you have any questions! For more information contact us through our contact form. Check out on our Facebook Page!
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