Animal Walks for Occupational Therapy Goals and Improved Wellbeing

The Therapeutic Benefits of Animal Walks

Animal-assisted therapy has become increasingly popular as a complementary treatment to help people experiencing various physical, cognitive, and emotional challenges. Interacting with animals has been shown to reduce stress, lower blood pressure, release endorphins that elevate mood, and enhance overall wellbeing. One unique type of animal-assisted therapy involves mimicking the movements of various animals through targeted exercises known as "animal walks."

Animal walks involve carefully observing how different creatures move and carrying out exercises designed to imitate their natural gaits and motions. This somatic stretching technique is often employed by occupational therapists as part of a holistic treatment plan to help clients achieve specific therapeutic goals. The focused movements can aid with strength building, balance, coordination, flexibility, body awareness, mindfulness, and more.

How Animal Walks Promote Healing

Moving your body in new ways encourages neuroplasticity, which is the brain's ability to form neural pathways and create new patterns of movement. As we grow older, we tend to move in habitual ways, leading to muscle stiffness and loss of mobility. But by exploring different types of locomotion found in the animal kingdom, we can reopen neural connections and regain flexibility.

Each animal walk exercise requires body awareness, concentration, and precision. The unique movements challenge your mind-body connection, enhance coordination, and improve spatial perception. The exercises also increase joint mobility, build strength, and promote agility. Additional benefits include:

• Improved circulation
• Greater lung capacity
• Stimulation of the vestibular system
• Increased body awareness and proprioception
• Decreased pain and muscle tension
• Elevated mood through release of endorphins
• Improved posture and core stability

Because animal walks are low impact and adaptable, they are suitable for children, seniors, and those recovering from injury or surgery. The exercises can also enhance sensory processing skills for people on the autism spectrum. When paired with animal-assisted activities, the walks provide the added benefits of human-animal interaction for cognitive, emotional, and social wellbeing.

Professional Guidance for Safe and Effective Treatment

It's important to learn proper form when first exploring animal walks. Poor technique can lead to muscle strains or other injuries. Work with a trained occupational therapist or physical therapist to determine which animal movements will help you meet your health goals. The therapist will guide you through the exercises, making sure you're performing them correctly.

Each session will start with gentle warm-ups to increase circulation and lubricate the joints. The therapist will then demonstrate the specific animal walk, emphasizing key form cues like posture and alignment. You'll practice each move together before trying it on your own. The therapist will provide feedback and corrections to ensure you're moving safely. They'll also progressively increase the challenge by having you do more reps or incorporating light weights.

In addition to supervision during appointments, your therapist will give you tips for practicing animal walks at home between sessions. They can introduce modifications or new walks over time to continually improve your strength, mobility, balance, and coordination.

Animal Walks for Occupational Therapy Goals

Occupational therapists often incorporate animal walks into treatment plans to help clients accomplish functional goals. The focused movements can aid recovery in various ways. Some examples include:

Enhancing Motor Skills

For children with developmental delays, mimicry promotes motor learning and improves coordination. Animal walks that emphasize lateral stepping, proprioception, and cross-body movement can support key occupational therapy goals like tying shoes, buttoning clothes, or handwriting. Targeted exercises build the foundation for increased independence with activities of daily living.

Improving Balance and Preventing Falls

Seniors at risk for falls can strengthen core muscles, increase stability, and practice controlled movements through animal walks. Crab walks or bear walks, for example, require focused effort to stay balanced. Carefully monitored practice helps improve equilibrium reactions and boosts confidence with everyday mobility.

Regaining Strength and Mobility After Injury or Surgery

Animal walks are a creative way to rebuild strength and range of motion. Crawling or slithering across a floor build upper body endurance. Weight shifting from side to side when doing elephant or penguin walks helps improve coordination. The key is starting very gently and progressing activity under the guidance of a therapist.

Decreasing Pain and Improving Posture

For people with back, neck, or muscle pain, animal stretches can provide relief by releasing tension and encouraging better alignment. Shoulder rolls, cat arches, and other animal movements help mobilize joints and strengthen core support muscles. With improved posture, people experience less pain and reduced fatigue.

Boosting Mind-Body Connection

Some animal walks are more meditative, emphasizing gentle swaying and rocking motions. These soothing exercises enhance body awareness, internal focus, and mindful movement. For anxiety disorders or sensory processing challenges, calmer animal moves can increase relaxation and emotional regulation.

Building Social Skills Through Play

Children with autism spectrum disorder can work on socialization and communication goals by taking turns leading animal walks with peers. Joining a playful group session reduces isolation and builds confidence. Laughter and friendly cooperation make therapy fun!

10 Animal Walks for Occupational Therapy

Here are 10 examples of animal walks commonly used in occupational therapy treatment plans:

1. Bear Walk

This exercise strengthens arms, shoulders, and core. Start on hands and knees with palms flat and knees under hips. Straighten arms fully but keep knees slightly bent, lifting knees just off the floor. Step forward with right arm and left leg, then left arm and right leg. Continue this pattern of opposite arm and leg movements as if "walking" on hands and feet.

2. Crab Walk

Crab walking builds coordination and balance. Sit on floor with knees bent and feet flat. Lift hips up to form a tabletop position. Place hands palms down behind you, fingers pointing towards hips. Slowly walk feet and hands out forwards or sideways, keeping hips elevated.

3. Bunny Hop

Hopping focuses on balance and leg power. Start in a low squat with hands on thighs. Spring upwards with both feet, land softly back in squat. Repeat hopping in place or hop forwards. Keep torso upright and knees behind toes when squatting.

4. Frog Leap

This dynamic walk develops lower body strength. Begin in a squat with arms out front. Jump forwards by straightening knees as arms swing back behind hips. Land in a squat and immediately leap again. Keep chest lifted and gaze forward.

5. Duck Walk

Duck walks strengthen hips, glutes, and inner thighs. Start standing with wide stance, toes turned out. Keeping legs straight, squat down by bending knees outward. Take small steps forward to waddle like a duck. Focus on maintaining an upright torso.

6. Flamingo Stand

This single-leg balance move improves stability. Stand on one leg with opposite knee bent and foot tucked near rear. Rest hands on hips or reach arms overhead. Gaze forward and hold the stance for 30-60 seconds before switching sides.

7. Penguin Walk

Waddling like a penguin enhances balance and trunk control. Start standing, then squat down with torso leaning slightly forward. Walk by shifting weight side to side, keeping feet flat. Let arms swing loosely at your sides for momentum.

8. Elephant March

Heavy elephant steps strengthen muscles and increase body awareness. Start standing with wide stance. Bend one knee and sweep same-side arm forward as if holding a trunk. Step that foot down with weight through heel. Repeat on the other side, marching in place.

9. Snake Slither

Slithering like a snake improves core strength. Lie face down with legs straight and arms at your sides. Keeping hips on the floor, use core to lift head and shoulders up slightly. Reach forward with arms and pull body ahead using upper body strength.

10. Cat Stretch

Stretching like a cat mobilizes the spine. Start on hands and knees. Arch back up toward ceiling while looking at floor. Hold briefly, then reverse the arch, dropping belly and lifting gaze. Repeat for a gentle flowing spinal movement.

Incorporate Animal Walks for Holistic Healing

When guided by a skilled occupational therapist, animal walks are an inventive way to foster occupational performance, manage health conditions, and improve overall wellbeing. The specialized movements provide physical and mental benefits for people of all ages and abilities. Be creative and have fun taking on the animals' unique styles of locomotion!

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.