Over the past weekend, we hosted our annual Vet Rehab Summit, doing things a little differently this year. It was an incredible experience.
As I ponder what I want to share about this event, it isn’t the academic learnings that leap to mind, although they were rich and plentiful – it is the connections and relationships that formed as we shared our insights, joys, frustrations and passion for our profession.
The depth of discussions
We often hear that online events cannot match the depth of face-to-face connections and discussions that we experience when we meet with colleagues in person. But to be honest, this year, the Vet Rehab Summit attendees connected in a way that was very real, incredibly raw and vulnerable, and will undoubtedly carry us forward into the months ahead as we plough what we learned into our work with patients.
Points of interest that sparked discussion included neutering and spaying, the percentage of Vetrehabbers that have children (download the industry report) and dental health, among other interesting subjects.
A change in perspective
A realisation that dawned on many of us as we went through the testing and treatment of myofascial kinetic lines was that we already have so many of the tools required for this process.
Therefore, it isn’t about learning more techniques and buying more tools – it is about broadening our understanding of the anatomy of our patients, and how these tests and treatments can affect the broader, whole patient as opposed to the local application of the technique. I certainly did learn a few new treatment and assessment techniques that I’ll be practising over the next few weeks, but truly, it is the perspective and clinical reasoning of patient presentations that have shifted and broadened for me.
Just one thing
With the incredible wealth of knowledge shared during this two-day event, it is quite difficult to choose the one thing I intend to start implementing immediately, for my patients and myself.
However, if I had to choose just one thing, it would be my new understanding of the diaphragm. During the lectures, the diaphragm came up multiple times as a potential area that needs to be addressed. This is why:
- The diaphragm forms part of the deep dorsal line, and has a strong attachment to the psoas muscle complex. This connection between the psoas and the diaphragm is essential for us to keep in mind.
- The vena cava and aorta travel through the diaphragm. The aorta can be surrounded by a muscular tunnel for up to 10 cm of its length. A continuous contraction of either the diaphragm or the psoas can restrict this tunnel and therefore the blood circulation to the gut and hindlimbs.
- The autonomic nervous system is very present in this area, in the form of both the sympathetic trunk and the vagus nerve.
I look forward to taking a deeper dive into the anatomy and assessment of this area, as well as practising the techniques shared by our lecturers to treat the area.
A global community
Vetrehabbers from 81 different countries joined us live at the Vet Rehab Summit. From Hawaii to New Zealand – all time zones were represented! Wow!
Quote of the day
‘Pain is the biggest liar.’ Patricia Kortekaas. This quote was shared by Rikke Schultz as she discussed the importance of ‘peeling the onion’ to get to the root cause of a problem. Often, we want to focus on the area in our patients where the greatest pain is present. However, this is often the area of greatest compensation, not dysfunction. Instead, we should focus on the area showing the greatest restriction or tension.
What our attendees had to say
‘I’m not sure my brain is absorbing anymore! 🤯🤣.’
‘This is my first summit, and I have to say the experience has brought about many emotions!’
‘It has taken everything I already knew to such a heightened level, opened my eyes and mind to areas I hadn’t explored. Most importantly, it is going to have such a positive influence and impact on the management and recovery of my canine patients’ overall physical and mental wellbeing. Thank you for the incredible two days of outstanding lectures, generosity, and support. I will be processing this weekend for many days, weeks and months to come, I’m sure!’
‘Thank you for this Summit, it was the best ❤ thank you all!🏆🎊’
‘Wonderful Summit! Thank you for all your hard work and passion❣️’
‘I’ve enjoyed this summit so much! I will have to rewatch it all again to get the info to sink in. Being self-employed can be a lonely world, so it’s great to connect with like-minded individuals 💜🐾’
‘An amazing two days, with wonderful presentations! I am looking forward to reading the book and practising with some new techniques.’
‘This is the most incredible platform to learn, connect and share.’
‘Thank you, Onlinepethealth, for a fascinating two days. I’ve got a couple of webinars to watch, as I was working, but what a fabulously informative, well-run event. Thank you!’
‘I really enjoyed the Vet Rehab Summit 2023 about myofascial chains in the canine and equine patient. The two-day summit has been inspiring, informative and empowering. I have learned so much over the past two days and will continue to further my knowledge in this important area. Thank you so much, Onlinepethealth, for hosting a wonderful summit, and thank you for the wonderful lectures.’
‘Onlinepethealth has organized the best online conference I’ve ever attended. The Vet Rehab Summit 2023 was packed with informative lectures from world-renowned experts in the field. I learned so much! I highly recommend Onlinepethealth and their events to anyone interested in veterinary rehabilitation.’
‘I am especially grateful for the opportunity to learn from Vibeke S. Elbrønd and Rikke M. Schultz, two of the leading fascia experts in the world. Their presentations on the fascial lines and how to test and treat them were incredibly insightful. I am now able to incorporate their techniques into my own practice and help my patients (and my own dog) even more effectively. Thank you, Onlinepethealth, for organizing such an amazing event! <3.’
‘Vet Rehab Summit 2023 is the first I attended and won’t be the last. Loaded with information and so well run. Amazing lecturers with so much knowledge and patience. The whole online experience was seamless and the opportunity to catch up with other attendees gave a whole, connected vibe.’
‘To all the staff involved, your passion for learning and education is infectious! The quality of the content, guest speakers and topics are truly setting a world standard that is difficult to ace. Thank you for the phenomenal work and hours that went into organising the Vet Rehab Summit 2023 (and proudly South African). You should be very proud as a Team xxx’
‘A reference continuing education community for any person involved in veterinary rehabilitation. An endless source of information for professionals worldwide. You have the website with thousands of hours of webinars (and they offer CPD certificates!), congresses, articles, and a podcast that allows you to work (free hands) and listen to interviews with rehabilitation professionals of diverse fields (manual, hydrotherapy, acupuncture, etc), covering small and big animals. Additionally, you have the opportunity to do networking with local and international colleagues. The team of Onlinepethealth does monumental work, but the most important part is that the human team behind this colossal enterprise is reachable and amenable!’
‘Super well organised, great topic this year!’
I think the above quotations say it best. Excellent teaching, informative and supportive interactions and a spirit of collaborative learning make this Summit what it is. To me, the Summit shows the incredible potential we have to continually improve on what we know or think we know, and to shift our whole perspective, when necessary. Our patients can only be the better for it.
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