100 Canine Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation
risk of exacerbation (or recurrence) of an injury
and/or subsequent injury of a different struc
ture (joint, muscle, tendon, etc.) in the future
(American Physical Therapy Association, 2010).
Physical therapy has been identified as
contributing to reduced costs associated with
neuromusculoskeletal injury as well as reduc
ing hospital readmission rates in neurologically
compromised human patients. Early movement
has proven to be paramount for many medical
conditions, and physical therapists are the
health‐care providers who understand how to
accomplish this safely, even in the most medi
cally complex patients (Ries, 2015).
Physical therapist assistants (PTAs) complete
an associate’s or bachelor’s degree from an
accredited college prior to taking a board
examination for licensure and, in all states,
work under the direct or indirect supervision of
a physical therapist. PTAs do not evaluate,
determine, or alter a rehabilitation plan of care.
Physical therapist assistants may attend some
canine rehabilitation certification programs in
the United States and are valued members of
the rehabilitation team.
Adjunctive practitioners involved in the
rehabilitation team might include acupunc
turists, chiropractors, or massage therapists
who have received additional training and/or
certification in animal practice. Veterinary
assistants and trainers may also assist the
canine rehabilitation team in some facilities but
are not qualified to attend canine rehabilitation
certification programs. When appropriate, an
occupational therapist, orthotist, or prosthe
tist may be consulted to assist with brace,
splint, orthosis, or prosthetic fabrication for a
canine rehabilitation patient.
As the practice of canine rehabilitation has
evolved, this novel collaborative practice has
been acknowledged by each profession’s parent
organization through discussion as well as offi
cial position statements. In 1993, the House of
Delegates of the American Physical Therapy
Association (APTA) released a collaborative
practice statement. This statement has since
been revised, and suggests that “Physical thera
pists may establish collaborative, collegial rela
tionships with veterinarians for the purposes of
providing physical therapy services or consul
tation. However, the APTA opposes the use of
the terms ‘physical therapy’ or ‘physiotherapy’
in veterinary practice unless services are
performed by a physical therapist or physical
therapist assistant under the direction and
supervision of a physical therapist.” Each state’s
practice act, which supersedes any other legis
lation, ultimately dictates the appropriate
language to be used by practitioners in this field
(American Physical Therapy Association, 2009.
The Board of Directors of the American
Association of Rehabilitation Veterinarians
(AARV) released the Model Standards for
Veterinary Physical Rehabilitation Practice in
February 2011, a statement of “guiding prin
ciples for the ideal practice of veterinary
physical rehabilitative medicine” including
definitions, scope and standards of practice,
communication, referral, and continuing edu
cation (American Association of Rehabilitation
Veterinarians, 2009–2017).
Clear communication and continued collabo
ration between these professional organizations
and on the part of the professionals themselves
will be necessary to ensure that the field of
canine rehabilitation continues to evolve and
grow in future years. Recognition of each dis
cipline’s value and contribution to the over
arching goal of providing the best care will
result in the best possible outcome for every
canine rehabilitation patient and client.The evolution of canine rehabilitation
and sports medicineHistorically part of the skill set of trainers at
horse and dog racetracks, rehabilitation and
sports medicine has become not only more
commonplace, but also integral and comple
mentary to the practice of veterinary medicine.
The earliest known publication regarding canine
rehabilitation, Physical Therapy for Animals:
Selected Techniques, a text by Ann Downer, a
physical therapist at Ohio State University,
introduced traditional rehabilitation techniques
to the world of veterinary medicine in 1978.
Care and Training of the Racing Greyhound, pub
lished in 1994 by veterinarians Linda L. Blythe
and James R. Gannon, was the first text directly
addressing topics pertinent to canine sports
medicine (McGonagle et al., 2014). There are
now no fewer than a dozen textbooks regarding
animal rehabilitation, sports medicine, and