CCAT Orthopedic Condition Rehabilitation 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A therapist is treating a geriatric Labrador with bilateral elbow osteoarthritis. Which land-based exercise modification best reduces compressive joint loading while maintaining muscle engagement?
- Replacing sit-to-stand exercises with incline walking
- Adding resistance bands to all four limbs during standing exercises
- Substituting trotting with slow controlled walking on level ground (Correct answer)
- Performing all exercises on an unstable surface like a balance disc
Correct answer: Substituting trotting with slow controlled walking on level ground
Slow controlled walking on level ground reduces impact and peak compressive forces on arthritic elbows while still promoting active muscle engagement.
Question 2: When assessing a dog with lumbosacral disease and concurrent hip dysplasia, which sign helps differentiate lumbosacral pain from hip pain on physical examination?
- Pain on deep palpation of the greater trochanter
- Pain elicited by hip extension combined with lumbar flexion (Correct answer)
- Reduced stifle flexion range of motion
- Crepitus detected during passive hip circumduction
Correct answer: Pain elicited by hip extension combined with lumbar flexion
Pain provoked by simultaneous hip extension and lumbar flexion (lumbosacral stress test) helps identify lumbosacral involvement distinct from isolated hip joint pathology.
Question 3: Which parameter of therapeutic ultrasound should be increased to achieve deeper tissue penetration when treating a large-breed dog's hip joint capsule?
- Frequency decreased from 3 MHz to 1 MHz (Correct answer)
- Duty cycle reduced from 100% to 50%
- Frequency increased from 1 MHz to 3 MHz
- Intensity reduced below 0.5 W/cm²
Correct answer: Frequency decreased from 3 MHz to 1 MHz
Lower frequency (1 MHz) therapeutic ultrasound penetrates deeper tissues (up to 5 cm), making it appropriate for treating the hip joint capsule in large-breed dogs.
Question 4: A dog with Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease is 8 weeks post-FHO. Which underwater treadmill speed and duration is most appropriate for this phase?
- 0.5–1.0 mph for 5–10 minutes (Correct answer)
- 2.0–2.5 mph for 20–30 minutes
- 3.0–3.5 mph for 15 minutes
- 1.5–2.0 mph for 45 minutes
Correct answer: 0.5–1.0 mph for 5–10 minutes
At 8 weeks post-FHO in young dogs, slow speeds (0.5–1.0 mph) for short sessions (5–10 min) encourage proper gait pattern without overloading the developing pseudarthrosis.
Question 5: Which joint mobilization technique is most appropriate for improving flexion range of motion at a fibrotic canine elbow joint?
- Grade III–IV dorsal glides of the radius on the humerus (Correct answer)
- Grade I oscillations applied to the medial epicondyle
- Sustained end-range compression of the humeroradial joint
- High-velocity thrust manipulation of the olecranon
Correct answer: Grade III–IV dorsal glides of the radius on the humerus
Grade III–IV dorsal glides of the radius on the humerus move into resistance to stretch periarticular tissues and improve elbow flexion ROM.
Question 6: A therapist is progressing a dog's rehabilitation after patellar luxation repair. Which exercise should be introduced LAST in the progression?
- Controlled leash walking on flat surfaces
- Slow stair climbing with assistance
- Cavaletti pole walking at stifle height
- Plyometric jump-down from a platform (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Plyometric jump-down from a platform
Plyometric activities generate high eccentric loads and impact forces that should only be introduced in late-stage rehabilitation once strength and neuromuscular control are well established.
Question 7: Which compensatory postural change is most commonly observed in dogs with chronic unilateral forelimb lameness from shoulder osteoarthritis?
- Weight shift caudally onto the hindlimbs with head lowering during stance (Correct answer)
- Lateral trunk lean toward the affected limb during trotting
- Increased fetlock extension on the contralateral forelimb
- Reduced lumbar lordosis with pelvic tilting
Correct answer: Weight shift caudally onto the hindlimbs with head lowering during stance
Dogs with shoulder OA shift weight caudally to offload the forelimbs, and drop their head during stance on the sound limb to reduce loading on the affected limb.
CCAT Orthopedic Condition Rehabilitation 3
A therapist is treating a geriatric Labrador with bilateral elbow osteoarthritis.
Which land-based exercise modification best reduces compressive joint loading while maintaining muscle engagement?