The Vet Physio

09/11/2025

28/10/2025

A good description about why, as vet physio's, we check sit posture regularly.

🪑✨ A “sit” isn’t just a sit - it’s a window into spinal alignment, pelvic control, and limb loading.

This example isn’t a terrible sit, but it does show us some of the most common compensations we need to watch for:

🔍 Pelvis & Lumbar Spine:
Notice how the pelvis is tucked and the lumbar spine is rounded, pushing the tail base underneath the body. This posture opens the hip and hock joints but places increased pressure on the stifle - you can see that here with maximum stifle flexion while the hip and hock are slightly open. Dogs will often also externally rotate the hip to unload those joints.

💡 What we want instead: a straight spine from head to tail and a pelvic position that keeps the lumbosacral region neutral and stable. This distributes load evenly through the limb and core.

🦵 Limb Alignment:
Draw a line from the stifle to the floor - ideally, the stifle should sit in front of the toes. This position brings the full hind limb into maximum, functional flexion without collapsing posture.

🐾 Forelimb Weight Bearing:
Here, the weight is shifted backwards - you can see the forepaws drifting forward and the elbows slightly behind them. Ideally, the forepaws should remain directly under the elbows to keep weight distribution balanced and the thoracic sling engaged.

These small positional details matter. Over time, incorrect posture reinforces poor biomechanics, reduces core activation, and can contribute to repetitive strain - particularly at the lumbosacral junction, hip, and stifle.

📚 As described by Farr, Ramos & Otto (2020), foundational exercises like the Posture Sit and Posture Down are powerful tools for building core stability and proprioceptive memory of correct alignment. These postures don’t just teach dogs how to sit, they teach them how to move safely and efficiently

👉 Try observing your next patient’s sit with these markers in mind. Are they stacking their spine, pelvis, and limbs optimally? Or are they compensating - and telling you exactly where their weaknesses lie?

📆 Join us on 8 November at the Vet Rehab Summit, where experts like Anna Lee Sanders, Jana Gams , Arielle Markley and more help us take our movement based assessment and therapy to new heights!

26/09/2025

Do any of my Vet physio colleagues cover the Blackburn area (BB6) or have recommendations for a physio in that area, I have a long term patient who has sadly needed to move there and I'm looking for the very best physiotherapy for her.

23/09/2025

A really great couple of days teaching level 6 Veterinary Physiotherapy students at Plumpton College alongside my best teaching partner. It was really lovely to catch up with the students just starting their third year with us and work with some lovely dogs 🐾 🥰 Lunch time in the sun with gorgeous views was a huge bonus today too 👌😊

16/09/2025

First small animal attended days done for a brilliant cohort of first year vet physio students, I really enjoyed the last two days spent with them at Plumpton College. We were all so engrossed in learning about anatomy, gait analysis, SOAP protocols, static and dynamic assessments, palpation, professional, legal, health and safety considerations and lots more I only remembered to take pictures of their fab muscle building efforts! We covered a lot but they were all superstars 🌟👌👏

15/09/2025

It's that time of year again! Dusted off my staff ID and sat at a very blustery ferry port but excited to meet a new first year Veterinary Physiotherapy cohort at Plumpton College and even more excited to be back teaching with my amazing friend, best travel Wendy, best vet physio teacher I know, person who believed in me enough to teach me in the first place Katie Lawrence - Veterinary Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, I mean it's a bit worrying she says I'm still in charge but.... it's going to be so good to spend some time with her 👏😊

12/09/2025

When my lovely friend-client Tina, who is a similar age to me, retired I felt a little jealous as sometimes more time doing things at a slower pace is really appealing! However now I've come to realise that Tina being retired has HUGE benefits for me too ..... last appointment cream tea, this time savory tea, absolutely yummy again and very much appreciated not to mention the beautiful hand painted card 💜 thank you Tina 😘 xx

09/09/2025

What a brilliant day of consultation at the Wildheart Animal Sanctuary collaborating with the brilliant and very lovely Matt of Shackleton - Veterinary Physiotherapy focusing on primate and big cat physiotherapy and rehabilitation. So lovely to meet you Matt and discover we are very much on the same page despite the fact you have so much more knowledge on the zoo industry and exotic animals it is another reminder how transferable the principles of rehabilitation are for all species. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge with me and for such an enjoyable day which will undoubtedly benefit all the animals hugely 🙏👌🥰

01/08/2025

NEW SERVICE LAUNCH – Equine Physiotherapy with Alice!

You’ve asked - so we’ve listened!

We’re thrilled to share that The Vet Physio is expanding to offer Equine Physiotherapy, delivered by our fully qualified Veterinary Physiotherapist, Alice!

Starting with one Sunday a month, Alice will be available across the Isle of Wight to support horses with:

✅ Injury recovery & rehabilitation
✅ Improving mobility, performance & comfort
✅ Ongoing musculoskeletal maintenance

This service is ideal for all types of horses – from retired golden oldies to competition athletes.

For vets and referring professionals:
We’re happy to collaborate on rehab plans or receive direct referrals. Please feel free to get in touch to discuss how we can support your equine clients.

We’re currently gauging demand – if you're interested in booking, referring, or learning more, drop us a email at thevetphysioIOW@gmail.com, comment below, or tag someone who might be!

Let’s help your horses feel, move, and perform at their best 🐎

30/07/2025

I have some amazing clients! 🫶

It's been a very difficult day, for numerous reasons, in an already very trying week in a far from easy month but this level of thoughtfulness and appreciation makes everything much much better!

Thank you soooo much Tina, I'm always so grateful for your amazing gifts but this one of a cream tea with home made scones just blew me away and was utterly delicious 😋😘 xx

19/07/2025

Our amazing rehab team!!

For a long time our physiotherapy and hydrotherapy team consisted of only Lee and I. The responsibility of being a couple providing valuable treatment for the Islands dogs while living on site can sometimes weight heavy! Times when we have been poorly or a family member (human or canine) has been poorly or just when we need time off to recharge our batteries and remember we are a couple not just colleagues have been really difficult. Not to mention all the other work and life responsibilities we have and the fact we aren't getting any younger and working flat out often 7 days a week gets harder 😜

Also demand for the therapy services we provide has hugely increased as owners and vets realise how hugely beneficial they are for so many dogs with so many conditions. So we've set about building a bigger team but we knew it had to be absolutely the right team and I'm proud to say we have achieved this 😊👌

This is last night at an impromptu, after work bbq, lots of laughs, banter but equally respect and admiration at what an awesome team of trustworthy, lovely, caring and capable friends working together can achieve 🥰

18/07/2025

First day at work here for our brilliant new veterinary physiotherapist Alice and what a great day she's had! This was the aftermath of her treating our very own elderly boy Sparky .... I mean I knew he was moulting a little but..... 🤣🤣🤣 Sorry about the weirdly placed fur coat Alice, but you've been a superstar today, not just with our Sparky who is usually a complete fidget for me to treat and who thoroughly enjoyed his treatment with you but with all your other clients today 🥰🫶