At Arfit Dog Rehab in Evanston, we get this question a lot:
“Do you have an underwater treadmill?”
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Short answer: No — and that’s intentional. Long answer: We focus on land-based, functional rehabilitation because dogs live, walk, climb stairs, and play on land. Our programs are designed to build real-world strength and confidence — not just movement in a tank.
1. Rehab Should Be About Function, Not Equipment
Underwater treadmills can be useful tools — they reduce weight-bearing and make movement easier. But real life doesn’t happen in water. Land-based rehab lets us retrain normal gait, balance, coordination, and core strength under gravity — the way dogs actually move every day.
Arfit philosophy: “We train dogs to move well where they live — on land.”
2. Controlled Weight-Bearing Helps Healing
After surgeries like TPLO, TTA, or patella luxation repair, the goal isn’t to avoid using the limb forever — it’s to reintroduce load in a smart, progressive way. With land-based work, we can encourage early weight-bearing, build joint stability, and prevent muscle atrophy. Controlled loading supports better bone and soft-tissue healing compared to long-term buoyancy.
Our approach: controlled load → stronger, more confident movement.
3. Better Muscle Activation on Land
Muscles fire differently in water because of buoyancy. On land, we can target the glutes, quads, hamstrings, and core to rebuild the entire kinetic chain — not just one limb. That means more effective strength and gait re-education for the whole dog.
4. Proprioception and Balance Improve Faster
Dogs recovering from injury often lose more than muscle — they lose awareness of how to use their body. Land-based rehab lets us focus on balance, coordination, and proprioception using unstable surfaces, obstacle work, and patterned movement. These exercises retrain the brain as well as the body — and help prevent re-injury later.
5. Easier for the Dog (and the Owner)
Not every dog likes the tank. Some dislike the noise or are anxious in water. Land-based sessions are shorter to set up, less stressful, and easier to replicate at home. Owners can continue exercises between visits — which means faster, more consistent results.
6. When Water Still Helps
We’re not anti-water — hydrotherapy can be wonderful for obese, painful, or early post-op dogs who can’t handle much load yet. But it’s a tool, not a requirement. At Arfit, we choose what’s right for each individual case — not just what’s trendy.
7. What Veterinarians Should Know
If you’re a referring veterinarian or surgeon, here’s how Arfit collaborates:
We prioritize functional recovery — walking, stairs, play, mobility.
We use progressive loading for optimal surgical outcomes.
We send progress reports and photos for your records.
We mirror your post-op protocols (TPLO, TTA, OA management).
We’re local — 2518 Green Bay Rd, Evanston — so clients can follow through consistently.
“No underwater treadmill?” Exactly — because we want your patient to walk better where it lives.
Example Cases We See
Post-TPLO / CCL: return to symmetrical gait and confidence
Patella luxation: quad strengthening, improved hip control
Senior / OA dogs: comfort, mobility, sustainable home plans
