Core strengthening exercises could help avoid lameness in dogs.

According to a recent research survey, specific areas of physical exercise reduce the risk of rupturing the cruciate ligament. "Balance exercises, wobble boards, anything that improves the core strength of the dog seemed to lower the odds of a ligament tear,"  Deb Sellon, a Washington State University veterinarian and lead author on the study stated. "We found fitness matters for dogs just like it does for people, and we haven't shown that before.” Interestingly, in this study other activities such as swimming, walking and running did not lower the risk of injury. Short walks and runs over hilly terrain on a weekly basis increased the risk of injury. Of those injured, many dogs were young and inexperienced when doing agility but also did not have routine physical exercise or rest days. 

Well what does this mean for us?

All dogs should have a regular walking routine, whether this be 1 hour or 20minutes a day. This will completely vary from breed, age, temperament and your own life style. However, we must always bear in mind that a sudden increase in exercise can cause wear and tear to the body. Have you ever noticed your dog become very tired the morning after they walked on the beach for 2 hours? Now imagine the impact this will have had on their body. It is important as an owner to always monitor your dogs for signs of fatigue, lameness and any abnormal behaviour such as licking one area of the body more than normal or avoiding doing certain activities such as jumping on a sofa. Any of these subtle signs could be your dog suggesting they are in pain. But all is not lost, there are ways we can combat this and keep our lives and our dogs lives fun and exciting.

Well what can we do?

Increase exercise gradually, if you have a long walk planned at the weekend with friends then build your dogs walks up slightly each day. Make sure that you give your dog a warm up of an on lead stroll before letting them off to go and play, and make sure that they then get a cool off before going in the car or back in the house. At home, you could practice some exercises such as sit-to-stand which are equivalent to dog squats! As the new research suggests, core exercises will really benefit your dog as they will get the dog using their muscles correctly, reducing the strain on the limbs by providing more abdominal stability. Simple wobble cushion exercises can improve your dogs core conditioning, and it can be fun for the owners too! Always ask a professional for advice before getting started with your dogs conditioning programme and seek help from your local Veterinary Physiotherapist who can help give you some ideas and plans to help prevent your dog becoming sore, as prevention is always better than cure.

Veterinary Physiotherapy appointments with Lily Moffatt Veterinary Physiotherapy often includes core strengthening exercises for your dog. A detailed home exercise plan is created for each dog to make sure that your dog has the optimal chance of staying healthy for a long time.

 Debra C. Sellon, Denis J. Marcellin-Little. Risk factors for cranial cruciate ligament rupture in dogs participating in canine agility. BMC Veterinary Research, 2022; 18 (1) DOI: 10.1186/s12917-022-03146-2