What does VSMR mean in REHABILITATION

Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation (VSMR) is a field of veterinary medicine focused on the health, wellbeing and performance of active animals. It encompasses nutrition counseling, physical therapy, lifestyle adjustments, pharmacological treatments and sports-specific conditioning. VSMR focuses on preventing injury through proper training regimens as well as rehabilitating injured or debilitated animals to optimize their health.

VSMR is beneficial for any animal that engages in strenuous activity such as competitive athletics, endurance events, working animals and even the pets at home who are very active or have had orthopedic injuries. This includes horses, dogs, cats and other small mammals.

By providing comprehensive assessments to identify potential risks of injury before they occur, then creating customized approaches for treatment such as nutritional guidance, physical therapy and other tailored modifications to optimize athletic performance while decreasing the risk of injury.

During a VSMR appointment a veterinarian conducts a variety of assessments such as examining strength and range of motion in the joints, assessing overall gait patterns through video analysis tools, evaluating muscle tone with palpation techniques such as myofascial release or trigger point therapy. Other tests may include blood work or ultrasounds to assess internal organ function.

Nutrition plays a major role in maintaining optimal health in active animals. Animals that participate in strenuous activities require more calories than those who are sedentary. Proper nutrition promotes healthy weight gain/loss if needed, increases energy levels thus improving athletic performance and helps maintain overall muscle health to reduce risk of injury. During an appointment your veterinarian will discuss your pet’s diet to ensure it meets their individual needs going forward.

Yes! Rehabilitation is often necessary following an injury or surgery as it helps increase strength and mobility so your pet can return to their normal activities quickly and safely with minimal long term effects from the injury itself. Depending on the type of injury your veterinarian may provide recommendations such as exercise programs or medications to ease pain or inflammation while minimizing further damage to tissue or joints involved.

Yes! There are many at home treatments you can do including approved exercises under supervision by your veterinarian which help strengthen muscles around injured areas in order to support any healing process that might be occurring within them; gentle massage which can relax tense muscles; heat therapy which assists in restoring movement; cold therapy which reduces swelling; acupuncture which increases nerve production encouraging blood flow; water therapy to assist with buoyancy so pain isn't associated with movement; cryotherapy which uses cooling wraps for faster relief from chronic pain episodes; and laser therapy treatment which aids in healing damaged cells.