As a chiropractor who specializes in animals, you likely built your practice out of a desire to help. But what if there was a way to modernize and enhance your veterinary chiropractic practice while improving patient care? Chiropractic care is no longer limited to manual adjustments and manipulations. Just like humans, musculoskeletal conditions and injuries can affect the bones, cartilage, muscles, ligaments, joints, tendons, and other connective tissues of animals. And, just like humans, animals can greatly benefit from the use of shockwave therapy in chiropractic care. This modality can offer you and your patients a litany of benefits.
Shockwave therapy is a versatile modality that provides the ability to treat animals big and small, from horses to house cats. This therapy holds promise in treating conditions such as ligament, tendon, and muscle strains in horses, as well as splints, ringbone, and scar tissue. Meanwhile, small animals, such as dogs or cats can benefit from shockwave therapy for ailments including osteoarthritis, hip and elbow dysplasia, and Achilles tendinopathy.
Still more promise lies in the ability for shockwave therapy to treat canine hip osteoarthritis (OA). Hip OA is common and can cause a great deal of pain, lameness, and reduced mobility in dogs. This can impact not only the dog’s quality of life, but that of their owner as well. According to one study that analyzed 30 dogs diagnosed with bilateral hip OA and thirty healthy dogs, the benefits of shockwave therapy on the former was clear. This treatment not only indicated improved weight bearing in the group of dogs who received shockwave therapy, but also improved limb function as well as walking patterns.
Shockwave therapy has become the gold standard in many clinics across Canada. Providing non-invasive relief, this therapy stimulates the body’s natural healing process using acoustic shock waves that are sent into the affected bones or soft tissues to facilitate recovery on a cellular level. This helps to:
- Form new blood vessels and, consequently, improve the blood supply and oxygenation of the affected area.
- Boost collagen production which, in turn, strengthens the tendons and ligaments by creating a firmer structure.
- Clear up the calcification from the affected area to reduce pain and restore function.
This modality offers you and your patients many benefits, including:
- Non-invasive
A major benefit of shockwave therapy is that it is non-invasive, meaning there are none of the typical risks associated with surgery.
- Pain relief
Shockwave therapy has an analgesic effect that lowers pain levels. This can greatly improve quality of life for animals.
- Faster healing
Shockwave therapy stimulates the body’s natural healing process, which can lead to faster recovery times.
- Minimal downtime
Unlike surgical treatments, shockwave therapy requires minimal downtime or periods of immobilization, allowing patients to return to their desired activities.
- Versatile
Shockwave therapy can be used to treat a variety of musculoskeletal conditions, including tendinitis, plantar fasciitis, and shoulder impingement syndrome.
Shockwave therapy can be used to enhance chiropractic adjustments not only by improving patient mobility but also by providing long-lasting pain relief. Providing this treatment option to your patients indicates a considered approach to healing, wherein relief for the patient is top of mind.
For more information about shockwave therapy, or for inquiries related to purchasing a Storz Shockwave Therapy Machine, please visit: shockwavecanada.com.
