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Manual Therapy

Effect of passive stretching on the range of motion of osteoarthritic joints in 10 Labrador retrievers

Summary:

Ten Labrador retrievers and their owners undertook a program to determine the effect of passive stretching on the dogs’ osteoarthritic joints, which had a restricted range of motion. The range of motion of the joints was measured before and after the 21-day study, during which the owners performed 10 passive stretches for a hold of 10 seconds twice daily. Goniometric measurements showed that the passive stretching had significantly increased the range of motion of the joints.

Conclusion:

The results show that passive stretching can effectively increase the range of movement of the osteoarthritic joints of labrador retrievers.

Author & Journal:T. Crook, C. McGowan, M. Pead, The Veterinary Record, April 2007
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Effectiveness of combined acupuncture and manual therapy relative to no treatment for canine musculoskeletal pain.

Summary:

Despite the rise in popularity of both acupuncture and manual therapy in veterinary medicine, and the increasing number of Canadian veterinarians practising these techniques, there is little research demonstrating their effectiveness. In this repeated measures, therapeutic trial, 47 client-owned dogs with naturally occurring lameness were assessed for clinical response to treatment. Owners were blinded to the treatment schedule and completed questionnaires to assess their dogs’ comfort and mobility.

Conclusion:

Comparison between pre- and post-treatment results demonstrated that combined acupuncture and manual therapy provides immediate short-term improvement in comfort and mobility, as demonstrated by owner observed changes in play behavior (P = 0.015), walking (P < 0.001), trotting (P = 0.002), jumping (P < 0.001), descending stairs (P = 0.003), rising from a lying position (P < 0.001), and reduced stiffness after rest (P < 0.001) or following exercise (P < 0.001). Mood and attitude also improved, but did not attain statistical significance.

Author & Journal:Lane DM, et al, Can Vet J 57(4):407-414, 2016
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