EFFECT OF PHYSICAL THERAPY PROGRAM AFTER SURGICAL CORRECTION OF PATELLAR LUXATION IN SMALL BREED DOGS

Abstract

Physical therapy, especially post operation, is very important for relieving pain, reducing inflammation, improving healing process, restoring abilities, preserving unaffected joints, and decreasing medication. So, the main goal of physical therapy is to improve or maintain the quality of patient’s life. The idea of physical therapy is not new in human, but not so long time in animals. Many treatment protocols for human were applied in animals. At presence, knowledge of physical therapy in animals, especially using NMES in small dogs undergone patellar luxation repair is limited. NMES can be started within the first post operative week. NMES has been used to prevent or minimize disuse atrophy, improve muscle mass and muscle strength, enhance limb function, and relieve pain. Post operative medial patellar luxation in 5 Pomeranians and 15 Chihuahuas were enrolled in this study. They were 1 to 7 years old and body condition score of 3/5. The patients were randomly allocated into 2 groups. Ten animals were in the physical therapy group with NSAIDs medication and the rest were in the control group, which received only NSAIDs medication. Physical therapy program consist of cryotherapy, neuromuscular electrical stimulation, passive range of motion, stretching, and weight shifting. Flexed and extended range of motion, muscle circumference, and gait analysis by force platform system were evaluated in pre-surgical and post-surgical period as well as the first, second, fourth, sixth and eighth weeks. The result of this study found significant improvement of muscle circumference and weight bearing force (p<0.05) in physical therapy group greater than control group. There was no significant difference (p>0.05) of the extended and flexed ROM which slightly improved in the physical therapy group compared with the control group. It appeared that multimodal physical therapy techniques in this study program, was the main factor which improved muscle mass and weight bearing compared to the NSAIDs medication alone.