Rehabilitation & Exercise Therapy Flashcards
7 cards from real ECC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Rehabilitation & Exercise Therapy flashcards as text
What is the primary therapeutic benefit of 'long and low' work in equine rehabilitation?
Answer: It encourages the horse to swing through the back and actively stretch the topline musculature
Long and low work directs the horse to carry its head and neck forward and downward, inducing relaxation and dynamic stretching of the dorsal musculature and supraspinous ligament.
Which passive mobilization technique is appropriate for use between chiropractic sessions to help maintain lumbar and sacral mobility?
Answer: Tail pulls and controlled limb traction exercises
Tail pulls and controlled limb traction gently mobilize the sacral and lumbar joints through passive movement, helping maintain range of motion between adjustment appointments.
When designing a rehabilitation exercise program for a performance horse, which principle should most guide the progression of exercises?
Answer: Gradual progressive overload paired with adequate recovery time between sessions
Gradual progressive overload allows musculoskeletal tissues to adapt and strengthen incrementally, while recovery intervals prevent cumulative fatigue and reinjury.
Underwater treadmill therapy is particularly beneficial in equine rehabilitation because:
Answer: Buoyancy reduces concussive weight-bearing load while still allowing a full range of motion during movement
Water buoyancy reduces the effective weight the horse bears through its limbs, decreasing joint concussion while the resistance of water encourages full limb movement and muscle activation.
Core strengthening exercises in equine chiropractic rehabilitation primarily serve to:
Answer: Stabilize the vertebral column and reduce susceptibility to recurrent subluxation under athletic stress
A well-conditioned core musculature dynamically stabilizes the spine during movement, reducing the forces that lead to vertebral subluxation during athletic performance.
Which combination of assessments is most commonly used to evaluate progress in an equine rehabilitation program?
Answer: Gait analysis, range of motion measurements, and muscle symmetry evaluation
Combining gait analysis, range of motion measurements, and muscle symmetry assessment provides a comprehensive functional picture of spinal rehabilitation progress over time.
When is it appropriate to reintroduce canter work during rehabilitation following lumbar chiropractic treatment?
Answer: Only after consistent, pain-free, symmetrical trot work is well established
Canter introduces asymmetrical loading and lead-specific rotational forces on the lumbar spine; it should only be introduced after the horse demonstrates pain-free, symmetrical trot work.