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This guide is a home-care support tool. It does not replace personalized advice from your veterinarian. For any questions, contact us at 514-223-1197.
Gentle movement, a better recovery
Recovery from a muscle, bone, or joint problem usually includes a gradual return to movement. Very gentle, full flexion and extension of the limbs, a few times a day, is a form of physical rehabilitation you can do at home: it keeps the muscles limber and the joints flexible while everything heals. These range-of-motion exercises suit both dogs and cats.
What does range-of-motion mean?
These are 'passive' movements: you gently move the limb while your pet stays relaxed. No effort on its part, just a soft guiding of each joint through its natural motion.
Before you begin
Two things first: get the go-ahead from your veterinarian, then set up a comfortable space.
Only on your veterinarian's recommendation
Move only the joints, and only at the time, your veterinarian tells you to. Moving a joint that needs to stay still, after a fracture repair or certain surgeries for example, can compromise healing. Ask your team to show you the movements the first time. And if your pet is in a lot of pain, do not start: call us first.
Set up the space
- A calm spot: where your pet can lie comfortably on its side.
- Good traction: for standing exercises, a clean rug gives a non-slip surface.
- A padded surface: a mat or pad at least twice as long and twice as wide as your pet.
- Extra padding if needed: for thin or fragile skin, add a cushion or a thick piece of foam.
When to start
Exercises often begin 1 to 3 days after the injury or surgery, once swelling has settled and healing has started. But it is your veterinarian who sets the right moment for your pet, based on what was treated.
The ground rules
A few principles apply to every exercise, no matter which leg you are working.
Go slowly
The first few times, each movement takes 10 to 30 seconds. With practice, aim for 5 to 10 seconds, always slowing down at the end of the motion.
Only to gentle resistance
Go to the point where you feel a soft resistance, never further. Do not force it, and never bounce the joint.
Reps and frequency
About 15 to 20 reps per joint. Sessions of 5 to 10 minutes, ideally 3 times a day (every 6 to 10 hours).
Watch for discomfort
A raised head, a leg pulled away, or vocalizing: stop, let your pet rest a few seconds, then start again more gently.
Make it a good time
These exercises work best when your pet enjoys them. Offer a treat after each session, or some petting and attention: the session becomes something you both look forward to.
A helpful trick: warmth
A few minutes of a warm compress on the muscles before the exercises can help them relax. Check first with your veterinarian that it is appropriate for your pet, and avoid heat over fresh swelling.
Front legs: shoulder and elbow
Gently lay your pet on its side, on the padded surface, and work the upper legs first, never the ones against the floor. When one side is done, let your pet right itself onto its chest, then carefully roll it onto the other side to repeat.
Find the shoulder and the elbow
The shoulder is the bump at the front of the body, toward the outside of the chest, at the base of the neck. The elbow is a little farther down and is the part of the leg that points the farthest backward.
Get into position
Kneel or sit alongside the belly, between the front and back legs, facing the same way as your pet. You will be working the upper front leg.
Shoulder: forward, then back
Rest one hand on the shoulder to hold it in place, and cup the elbow in your other hand. To extend: gently draw the leg forward, as if mid-stride, until you feel a gentle resistance; hold 1 to 2 seconds, then release. To flex: wrap your hand around the upper leg and draw it gently back and up toward the spine, the elbow pointing toward the tail. Alternate flexion and extension, 15 to 20 times.
Elbow: bend, then straighten
Hold the leg just above the elbow with one hand, and just below it with the other. To bend: bring your hands together until you feel a gentle resistance; at full flexion your knuckles nearly touch, with no discomfort. To straighten: open the elbow fully until the leg forms a straight line. Repeat 15 to 20 times.
Back legs: hip and knee
Same position, your pet lying on its side. This time, turn to face the back of your pet. Work the upper leg, then roll your pet onto the other side to repeat.
Find the hip and the knee
The hip is hidden under the muscles; feel for it as a bump high on the outside of the thigh. The knee is lower down and points forward; the hock, by contrast, points backward.
Get into position and take hold
Kneel alongside the belly, facing the back of your pet. Take hold of the upper hind leg just below the knee, at the slim, bony part (the shin), as if you were holding a flashlight.
Hip: forward, then back
To flex: gently push the leg forward, toward you and up toward the back, until you feel a gentle resistance; at full flexion the thigh is parallel to the spine. Release over 1 to 2 seconds. To extend: draw the leg back, with light pressure on the thigh if needed, until it points straight behind, parallel to a straight tail. Alternate 15 to 20 times.
Knee: bend, then straighten
Hold the thigh with one hand and the lower leg with the other. To bend: draw the lower leg toward the thigh until they touch. To straighten: move the lower leg away from the thigh until they form a straight line. Repeat 15 to 20 times.
Signs worth a call
Done well, these exercises should never hurt. Stop and contact us if you notice any of these.
Pain or limping gets worse
New pain, crying out, a leg your pet refuses to put down, or limping that worsens instead of improving: stop the exercises and call us.
The surgical site changes
Swelling, redness, heat, discharge, or an incision that opens: never exercise over an irritated wound, and contact us.
A joint that locks up
If a joint no longer moves through its usual range, or you can no longer complete a motion you used to manage, do not push: let's talk it through.
Your questions, our answers
The questions that come up most when getting started.
My pet doesn't seem to like this. Should I continue?
I can't do it 3 times a day. Is some better than none?
Should I warm the muscles up first?
My pet just had surgery, can I start right away?
A little each day, gently does it
A few minutes of gentle movement, repeated each day, helps your companion keep supple joints and limber muscles through recovery. Move at its pace, stay tuned to its comfort, and keep in touch with your veterinarian: that is what leads to a strong recovery.