The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of a rehabilitation procedure in eight dogs undergone to arthroplasty followed by rigid immobilization of the knee joint. The dogs were alocated into a treated group (Group I) and a control group (Group II). After the removal of the biplanar external skeletal fixation device, the dogs from Group I were submitted to physical therapy during 15 days, that consisted of hydrotherapy, massage, passive movement of the knee joint, passive stretching and controlled walking exercises. The clinical evaluation of the knee and adjacent tissues of Group I showed less articular rigidity and thigh muscle contraction when compared with Group II. Ninety days after the operation, the evaluation of the range of motion demonstrated that the group of treated animals reached a greater extension (P<0.01). As for the evaluation of the march, all of the treated animals (n=4) reached a grade of V (functional use of the member), whereas of the control group, only one animal reached the same grade. According to the results, it can be concluded that the physical therapy procedure used in the dogs from Group I promotes the functional rehabilitation of use of the limb earlier then in the dogs from the group control. Physical therapy can be recommended in dogs undergoing arthroplasty of the knee followed by temporary rigid immobilization of the same joint.
remobilization; immobilization; joint rehabilitation
