Physical Therapy for Veterinary Technicians

Happy Vet Tech week! We wanted to take this week to send gratitude to those that take care of our furry friends, but also to bring awareness to the hardships they are experiencing and how physical therapy can help. 

Did you know the average career length for a vet tech is only 5-10 years? 2021 survey results show that 93% of individuals in veterinary medicine had some variation of musculoskeletal (MSK) pain in at least one body part. Most commonly the neck, back, shoulder or knee is impacted in this line of work. Over 85% reported concern regarding career longevity due to MSK pain (Kim et al 2023). Strength exercises, with intensity of 70-85% of a 1 rep max, were shown to reduce musculoskeletal pain (Rodrigues et al 2014). Physical therapists specialize in MSK pain and can help get you back to lifting heavy things. 

Stress also contributes to career length in this field. 20% of vet techs reported feelings of depression and thoughts of suicide (kogan et Al 2020). Physical activity was found to help with depression, anxiety and psychological distress in a recent systematic review. Higher intensity activity was associated with greater improvements in symptoms. Not sure how to get back into exercise due to fear and/or pain? Rehab is a great place to start, or you can reach out if you need assistance finding someone to talk to.  

Know someone in veterinary medicine dealing with something similar? Share this blog and let’s keep them in their profession!
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