I love the ritual of changes that happen as life in Nebraska rhythmically rotates through four seasons. Having grown up in Texas where we had seasonal weather that ranged from warm to hot to blazing (and the occasional ice storm) I have come to especially cherish the ‘in between’ seasons of the Midwest. If summer and winter are considered the extremes, then spring and fall are the transitions between them.
Spring is my favorite of the four seasons. Green shoots emerge from the cold dormant ground bringing hope that the blooms, colors, and radiant life of summer will indeed return. Life is churning beneath the surface as plants eagerly await longer days and warmer temperatures. Daffodils, tulips, irises, hellebores, lily of the valley, flowering fruit trees, lilacs, and peonies bejewel the previously solemn landscape. Maple trees and dandelions, while less glamorous, provide important early sources of nectar and pollen supporting the pollinators who have depleted their winter stores.
Our and our animals’ bodies cycle through seasons in similar fashion. I think this happens as a big picture across the lifespan: from the spring of puppyhood, to summer as an adult, to aging gradually and gracefully into fall and winter. It also happens rhythmically within the twists, turns, ups, and downs of life. If your pet’s illness or injury is the dark night of winter that your vet and surgeon see you through, then rehabilitation is the spring sunrise that brings hope for the return of summer, to the return to the life and activities your pet loves. Just as the shoots and buds of spring mark the emergence of renewed plant life; our bodies also generate new tissue to mend wounds, the nervous system buds new connections to improve coordination and relearn skills, muscles grow stronger, function returns. First steps are taken after fracture or paralysis, not too unlike a spring fawn learning to control its legs trembling beneath it. And if function can’t fully return - then adaptation is the resilience to press on in a new form.
These words are themes for how I think of spring and how I think of rehabilitation: transition, tender regrowth, first steps, resilience, hope.
What I find especially beautiful about the process of spring and of rehabilitation, is that just like a seed contains nearly everything it needs to start growing a plant; our pet’s body (in ideal conditions) does the majority of the work of its own healing. Yes, the veterinary care team (vet, surgeon, rehabilitation therapist and other staff) provides essential interventions: pain management, surgical procedures, pharmaceutical support, the progression of a rehabilitation plan of care. But all in all, we are providing guidance for the work that our pet’s body does. My role as a physical therapist is to teach you how to support your pet’s healing and recovery. "Hold off on this activity until the bone, muscle, or ligament are strong enough. Utilize this modality to aid in the healing process. Add in this exercise now to improve strength and coordination. Incorporate this assistive device to keep your pet’s body safe while they regain independence and freedom of movement." Trust that with repetition and time (and a good rehab plan of care) your pet’s resilient body will change, adapt, and rise up to meet the challenges they face on their journey to recovery.
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