What is Equine Physiotherapy?
Equine physiotherapy is used to aid performance, enhance recovery and optimise rehabilitation in horses.
A combination of palpation, gait analysis and clinical reasoning is used to create individual treatment programmes with the aim of improving your horse’s health and wellbeing.
Every horse will benefit from physiotherapy; not just the high level eventer or the injured, but the every day happy hacker and paddock ornament.
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Some Conditions.
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Muscular asymmetries
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Muscle strains / tears
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Sacroiliac conditions
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Kissing spines
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Osteoarthritis
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Bone spavin, Ringbone and Sidebone
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Woud healing
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Stifle issues
What to expect....
There are 5 stages to an initial appointment.
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1. Discussion:
One an appointment has been confirmed, you will receive a 'Client information' form to gather basic information on your horse, history, goals etc.
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2. Assessment:
A static and dynamic assessment will be carried out at the start of the appointment. Key findings will be discussed and they will be the main focus of the appointment.
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3. Treatment:
A variety of treatment modalities can be used depending on the issues found during the assessment:
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- Massage
- Trigger point release
- Joint mobilisations
- Therapeutic stretches
- Therapeutic Ultrasound
- Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy
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4. Exercise prescription:
Following on from treatment, a personalised exercise plan will be prescribed. This will be tailored to your horses weaknesses and key findings, so that they can keep improving in-between treatments.
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- Stretches
- In-hand work
- Ridden exercises
- Pole work
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5. After appointment:
- A full report of findings, treatment and exercise plan will be emailed through for your records.
- If undergoing rehabilitation a weekly check-in will be planned to ensure everything is going smoothly.
- A copy of the report will be emailed to your treating veterinarian (If under rehabilitation)
- 24/7 support for follow up questions and issues via text and email.
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Do you need Veterinary consent to treat my horse?
November 2020, the RCVS released new guidance in the form of Chapter 19 in the Code of Professional Conduct. It outlines that musculoskeletal therapists would not have to seek veterinary referral for maintenance care of a healthy, sound and fit animal. However veterinary referral will be required for animals currently under the care of a veterinarian for poor performance or lameness.
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