Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Techniques for objective outcome assessment.
- Journal:
- Clinical techniques in small animal practice
- Year:
- 2007
- Authors:
- Hesbach, Amie Lamoreaux
- Affiliation:
- Mid-Atlantic Animal Specialty Hospital · United States
Plain-English summary
This article talks about how rehabilitation for pets, which combines physical therapy and veterinary care, needs to show that its methods really work. To do this, it emphasizes the importance of using reliable and standardized ways to measure outcomes, like pain levels, vital signs, body condition, movement ability, and muscle strength. The piece also discusses how the understanding of physical therapy for pets has changed over time, including how to diagnose and create treatment plans. Overall, the focus is on making sure that the treatments used in pet rehabilitation are backed by solid evidence.
Abstract
Companion animal rehabilitation, a collaborative practice of physical therapy and veterinary medicine, can only demonstrate the effectiveness of its theories, techniques, interventions, and modalities through evidence-based practice, utilizing standardized, reliable, and valid outcome measures, correlated with objective diagnostic data. This essay examines existing and potential objective outcome measures utilized in companion animal rehabilitation and physical therapy regarding pain, vital signs, body condition and composition, range of motion, muscle strength, inflammation, functional mobility, and gait. Discussion is included of the traditional disablement model and the evolution of the physical therapy diagnosis, prognosis, and plan of care.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18198782/