Rehabilitation allows veterinary patients to heal faster and return to normal function at an increased rate. Recent studies have shown that tissues such as bone, cartilage, and muscle are damaged when not used. Rehabilitation helps to improve damaged tissue by mobilizing the injured limb with a variety of different methods. Rehabilitation can also be very beneficial to geriatric and severely compromised patients by allowing them to exercise without the normal weight-bearing stress on their joints. Rehabilitation helps patients lose weight throughout their lifetime. Sporting and hunting dogs can benefit from the off-season and preseason conditioning offered through the sports medicine program.