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Researchers at the University of Saskatchewan are looking to see if the next breakthrough in cerebral palsy lies with man’s best friend.
Sarah Donkers, a physiotherapist with the department of rehabilitation science, is leading a team to look at how rehabilitation dogs could help children living with cerebral palsy walk.
Cerebral palsy is a neurological disease that can affect muscle coordination and body movement.
“A rehabilitation dog, which is a certain type of service dog that stays with a therapist, and can be used in gait and balance — so walking and balance training with these children, as opposed to a cane or a walker.”
She says her team has already observed improved alignment, posture, pace of walking and balance in kids assisted with a service dog.
“We think it has something to do with innately feeling the walking rhythm of the dog themselves,” she said.
Donker said the dogs also provide a level of confidence.
“Say you’re walking and you trip and fall, a dog can alert someone that you’ve fallen, or it can actually brace to help you get up in ways a regular walking device can’t.”
The dog of choice is the Labernese, a highly trainable and intelligent mix between a labrador retriever and Bernese Mountain dog.
Even though her team’s research could soon change the way children with cerebral palsy rehabilitate their movement, Donker she can’t help but enjoy her daily interactions with the dogs and children.
“I joke that the reason I applied for this grant was so that I can work with the dogs all the time and work with children all the time.”
She said she hopes her research will eventually mean rehabilitation dogs become a more common sight for kids needing help getting moving.
“My hope is that this research and these collaborations… (will) make service dogs and rehabilitation dogs more accessible in routine care.”
