What a Rehab Therapist Really Looks For During an Evaluation

It’s more than a limp-it’s a whole-body story!

When pet parents bring their animal in for a rehab evaluation, they often expect me to only focus on the obvious problem-the limp, the arthritis, the stifle/knee injury, or the weakness.

But a true rehab evaluation goes so much deeper—I want to know the WHOLE STORY! I’m not just looking at one joint, one muscle, or one diagnosis. I’m looking at the entire movement story! How every part of their body is working together (or at least trying to)

We’ve talked about what to expect during an evaluation in a previous post, however I thought we would take a peek into what I’m evaluating the moment your pet walks through the door!

Posture-The Silent Communicator

Before your pet even takes a step, their posture tells a big story.

When they come in I’m looking at how they naturally stand:

• Is the back arched

• Are they shifting weight

• Is the tail tucked or off to one side

Posture often reveals pain, weakness, and compensations long before a limp ever shows up. The way they hold their body can also tell how nervous or anxious they are too which can give me information on how to help put them at ease. We always wanna meet them where they are at and in order to do that we need to find out where that starting point is at!

Gait and Movement Patterns

Every step your pet takes gives me clues! I’m watching

-How each leg loads weight

-How they place their paws

-Stride length

Basically, I’m looking to find out- Are there muscles that are doing too much? not enough? how the joints. are moving? Are they guarding/protecting an area.

Imbalances are where discomfort and issues arise and I need to find out where they are in order to get to the root. of the issue!

Muscle Balance, Tone, and Strength

I also perform hands-on assessments on muscles which give me an idea on:

• Where muscles are tight

• If there are knots, trigger points

• Where muscles are weak

• Where muscles are tight affecting flexibility

Muscle and soft tissue changes often show where the root cause is and give information on how to develop and progress exercises!

Joint Health and Range of Motion

Along with muscle assessment, I’m also looking at how each joint moves and feels which gives me information on

• Areas of inflammation

• Any joint restrictions to determine if it’s a muscle or joint that’s the issue! (yes, there’s a difference!)

• Is movement guarded

• How does comfort change with stretch or pressure on the joint

Sometimes the joint that’s sore isn’t the joint that’s causing all the problems!

Compensation Patterns

Often your animal changes the way they walk/move in order to continue moving which can create a domino effect of tension throughout their body. My job is to trace those dominos back to the original imbalance! I also want to see how they are compensating and retrain the body to move easier and reduce:

• issues or ineffective weight shifting

• excessive or limited back movements

• posture issues

• overuse issues

Your Pet’s Emotional State and Comfort Level

A huge part of the evaluation is also to make sure your pet:

• Feels safe

• is willing to participate

• isn’t overwhelmed

• trusting

Healing can only happen when the nervous system feels secure. This is a key reason why evaluations are calm, quiet, and individualized—never rushed!

Big Picture

A rehab evaluation isn’t about finding “what’s wrong” it’s about understanding the whole picture. I want to find out how the body’s learned to adapt, the underlying imbalance, hidden tension, and they best path forward toward strength and comfort. Every dog also has a different lifestyle, job, and needs which also are added to the puzzle to help develop the best plan forward! When we see the whole story, we can create an effective plan that truly changes how your pet moves and feels!

Your 'pet’s body is always communicating! My job is to LISTEN and then help guide them into healthier, happier, motion!

Contact us to book a consultation or learn more about how physical therapy can make all the difference for your dog’s mobility.

Because your pet deserves comfort, connection, and a body that supports the beautiful life they’re here to live!