Equine Physiotherapy Services

Physiotherapy supports our equine patients for a variety of different reasons. Our goals are ultimately to restore function following injury, to enhance performance and/or to maintain function whilst managing a chronic underlying disease or trauma such as arthritis, kissing spine or tendinopathies.

 

1. Enhancing performance is as relevant to professional horses as it is to the hobby horses. It is common for owners or riders to describe a change in their horse’s performance, sometimes subtle, sometimes very obvious. Some examples are recorded below:

Bucking, rearing, bolting,

Grinding teeth, head and neck tilting

Cold backed, going hollow

Reluctance to be tacked up or mounted

Refusing, standing off, rushing, rolling poles, getting too close to fences

General stiffness

Poor quality upward or downward transitions.

 

2. Facilitating tissue repair and rehabilitation following trauma, injury and the diagnosis of a disease process is a key part of the physiotherapist’s role. Such traumas, injuries and diseases/conditions are listed below but this list is not exhaustive:

Back and neck pain following a poorly fitting saddle

Back pain following being cast

Back and neck pain following a fall

Back and neck pain following tooth and mouth soreness/bitting problems

Back pain following rider asymmetry

Oedema, inflammation and swelling

Adaptive soft tissue changes that have arisen due to underlying primary problems such as

kissing spine

acute or chronic lameness

arthritis

tendinopathies

desmitis

old fractures

poor/resolving foot biomechanics

nerve damage

splints

wounds

3. Maintenance of chronic conditions and managing secondary adaptive changes in horses living with these conditions such as

 

Arthritis

OCD

Laminitis

Kissing spine

Ligament, tendon and joint damage

Muscle atrophy following direct trauma or nerve damage/deterioration

Repetitive strain injuries

The treatments available also vary and are selected following a thorough assessment of the patient. Prior to the assessment, veterinary referral is received, or veterinary consent is given with appropriate clinical history being shared. Then, during the assessment

A verbal clinical history is taken from the owner/rider

Posture is assessed in stance

Gait is assessed in walk and trot in a straight line

Gait is often assessed on the lunge

Horse is often assessed under saddle

Gait is assessed in small tight circles and rein back

Horse is palpated

Range of motion and End Feel is explored

Integrity, reactivity, and quality of muscle contractions are assessed.

Following the assessment, a treatment plan is discussed with the appropriate person, taking into consideration facilities available, time restrictions and competition commitments. Usually, a combination of treatments are utilised and some of the treatments available include

 

1. Manual Therapies

Reflex inhibition to “relax” tight muscle, while improving blood and lymph circulation.

Stretching to mobilise muscle tissue and joints through intended range

Myofascial release to facilitate the relaxation and immobility of tight muscles including where they attach onto fascia, an elastic connective tissue that envelops many structures in the equine patients.

Trigger point release to facilitate the release of hyperirritable palpable nodules or “knots” of tight muscle which radiate pain in established patterns of referred pain.

Massage to facilitate the relaxation of soft tissues, lymphatic drainage, and the reduction of oedema.

Maitland Mobilisations to mobilise joints through their active and accessory ranges, reducing pain, stiffness and swelling.

Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation to encourage

2. Electrotherapy

Laser used effectively to assist in the alleviation of pain and swelling in chronic conditions such as osteo arthritis and is the promotion of tissue repair following soft tissue damage and wound healing.

Ultrasound is used effectively to assist in the alleviation of pain and      swelling in sub-acute conditions and in the promotion of tissue repair following     soft tissue damage and wound healing.

TMM is used to optimise the timing of contraction/relaxion/contraction cycle of functional muscle activity that is often disrupted following adaptive changes that occur in normal movement patterns after injury or disease.

TENS is used to target localised pain

3. Targeted and Functional Exercise Therapy

A home exercise program tailored to your horse’s individual needs, focussing on appropriate combinations of mobility, strengthening, balance, and proprioception. This may involve a combination of in hand and/or ridden exercises, stretches, functional movement patterns, proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation, pole work and kinesiology taping.