Online Course
Introduction to Animal Physiotherapy
Delve into the world of veterinary PT and discover an entirely new area of practice

1.5-2 hours

-

-

-

-

Powered by Physiopedia
Ansi van der Walt
Course instructor

Ansi is a Veterinary PT, President of the IAPTAP and Managing Member of PetFit Canine Fitness

Animal Physiotherapy Interest Group of the South African Society of Physiotherapy

Course image - Introduction to Animal Physiotherapy
Summarising
Summarising the latest research & evidence
Trusted
Trusted by over - clinicians
Learn
Learn anytime, anywhere, on any device
Accredited
Accredited certificate of completion
Preview course

Introduction

Select a country (and if appropriate state) to view information about this course's accreditation and/or acceptance in this jurisdiction.

Included with subscription

And more...

Training 5 or more?

Get your team access to ALL courses plus exercise prescription & telehealth.

Introduction

Animal physiotherapy is an area of physiotherapy practice that is gaining momentum. It aims to optimise the performance and function of animals, and to prevent injuries. The first example of a physiotherapist treating animals was in 1939 and, since then, animal physiotherapy has continued to evolve. It is now recognised as an official subgroup of the World Confederation of Physical Therapy. Like conventional physiotherapy, animal physiotherapy is divided into a wide range of specialities, from neurological rehabilitation to orthopaedics and aged care. This course discusses the development of animal physiotherapy as a profession, and explores research that validates the use of conventional physiotherapy methods to address pain and dysfunction in animals. It will also explore the human-animal dyad as this relationship has a significant impact on the outcome of physiotherapy interventions.

Aims

This course aims to provide an overview of the role that physiotherapists play in animal healthcare and to introduce the research underpinning this area of practice.

Outline

This course is made up of videos, reading, discussions and a final quiz. The course content is split into the following sections:

  1. Video
  2. Reading activity
  3. Quiz

Target audience

This course is aimed at Physiotherapy and Physical Therapy clinicians, students and assistants. Other interested professionals such as athletic trainers, occupational therapists, nurses or medical doctors interested in this subject are also invited to participate.

Practicalities

Availability - this course is online and can be completed on your own schedule.

Hours of Learning - No deadlines are applied to this course and it can be started and completed in your own time according to your personal schedule. We expect the required elements to take around 1.5-2 hours depending on your schedule and learning style. Additionally there are many optional resources provided and if you choose to review these the course could take longer to complete.

Types of Activities - Watching videos, reading, a final quiz and participating in an international discussion forum.

Certificates - At the end of the course, when you have completed all of the required elements, you will be able to download a certificate of completion and 1.3 Plus points will be added to your personalised learning dashboard.

Requirements to complete this course

In order to complete this course and receive a course completion certificate plus CEUs/CCUs/CPD points you will need to:

  1. Respect the Plus Community Culture.
  2. Log all the required learning activities as complete (represented by the orange icons!).
  3. Actively and appropriately participate in the course discussions.
  4. Pass a final quiz with a score of 80% or more.
  5. Complete a course evaluation form.

Learning outcomes

At the end of this course you will be able to:

  • choose the correct anatomical terminology used to describe animals
  • explain the role and scope of the animal physiotherapist in countries where no legal impediment exists
  • justify the use of conventional physiotherapy treatments in animal healthcare
  • discuss the role of the animal physiotherapist in the multidisciplinary team
  • evaluate the impact of the human-animal dyad on physiotherapy interventions for animal patients

Instructor financial and non-financial disclosures

Ansi van der Walt: No relevant relationships disclosed by instructor.

Accessibility

For special needs or accommodations please contact us with details of how we can meet your needs.

Featured reviews
Great overview of the basics of animal physiotherapy!
Diane Parker
Physiotherapist
South Africa
I like how they thus far have related it to human physiotherapy, therefore drawing on our already built knowledge, so we can expand upon that.
Danita Magdalena Enslin
Physiotherapist
South Africa
This course is very interesting if you wanted to pursue animal care geared with what you already know as a physiotherapist.
VANESSA BATALLER
Student
Philippines
This course laid a good foundation for anyone wanting to dip their toe into the world of animal physiotherapy. You will gain insight into why and how human physiotherapy can be applied to animals and learn the correct animal terminology.
Megan Freitag
Physiotherapist
South Africa
A very good introductory course to animal physiotherapy! It gives you an idea about how it all started, how much can be transferred from conventional physiotherapy, the specialties and the role of the owner-pet bond.
Nicole Röttger
Physiotherapist
Namibia