Front Matter

194 Canine Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation

Hill sit‐to‐stand or push‐ups

Technique: The patient is oriented perpendicu­
lar to the slope with the affected limb downhill.
Initially, the patient is asked to maintain a
square sit, resisting the tendency to slip down­
hill, for 30 seconds.
Progression: The patient is then asked to per­
form repetitive sit‐to‐stand exercises for pelvic
limb strengthening or push‐ups (down‐to‐sits)
for thoracic limb strengthening.

Three legs on a wobble board

This technique is used to strengthen the limb
that is not on the board without creating any
shear force on the joints.
Progression: The rehabilitation therapist
adds more jerky perturbations to the board
and/or uses wobble board progression as dis­
cussed earlier.

Three leg stands

Technique: The therapist lifts one leg, holding
it for 3 to 10 seconds, forcing the patient to bal­
ance on the other three limbs. Once the first
limb is gently placed on the ground the next
limb is lifted. Lifting each of the four limbs con­
stitutes one repetition.

Hemi‐stand and hemi‐walk

Technique: The therapist lifts two of the
patient’s legs, and asks him to stand or walk on
two limbs. Standing is usually done by picking
up ipsilateral limbs and shifting weight to the
contralateral side. Walking is usually per­
formed by picking up either the thoracic limbs
or pelvic limbs and pushing, not pulling, the
patient to encourage them to take steps with the
limbs that are on the ground.

Leg lifts

Technique: While the dog is standing square,
the therapist tickles the toes on the limb that
requires strengthening to induce the patient to
move the limb in the desired direction, creating
either adduction, abduction, full limb flexion,
or upper joint extension with flexion of the two
distal joints.

Therapy band

Technique: The band is positioned around the

affected limb with the dog standing square.

Tension is applied in the direction opposite the

action of the muscle that is to be strengthened.

Exercises for orthopedic disorders

Spinal/neurological impairments

Stand with ball support

Purpose: Engage limb muscles before the

patient is able to support full weight.

Goal: Minimize atrophy and stimulate strong

contractions.

Technique: Patients that are unable to sup­

port full weight can be placed over a round or

peanut ball with their weight supported

through their chest on the ball. This allows the

patient to contract the limb muscles through

rocking and perturbations. The patient will

reach out for support, causing muscle contrac­

tions in the limbs.

Progression: The patient can progress to

standing on their own. The next step is to have

them support themselves with either the tho­

racic or pelvic limbs on a cushion.

Ball or cushion work

Purpose 1: Strengthen stabilizer muscles of the

limbs.

Goal: Strong contractions of the limb and

trunk muscles.

Technique: Ataxic patients are placed on a

cushion. This encourages the patient to work to

maintain balance. Once the patient is stronger, the

therapist can cause perturbations of the cushion.

Purpose 2: To strengthen neck muscles. This

exercise is referred to as head‐in‐a‐box.

Goal: Increase the length of time that the

patient is able to move its head and change its

center of gravity while maintaining balance

with the front feet on a chair or ball.

Technique: The patient stands with front

feet on a cushion, ball, or chair while the thera­

pist moves a cookie around the patient’s head

to get him to move his head in all directions.

The name of the exercise implies the imagery of

the patient’s head surrounded by a box. The