As long as any issues requiring veterinary attention have been ruled out, many problems can be helped through musculoskeletal manipulation (adjusting muscles and joints), and myofascial work (releasing tight muscle fascia).
Equine signs:
- Stiffness
- Falling in or out on turns and circles
- Asymmetry in muscles (one side more developed)
- Difficulty in picking up canter lead
- Difficulty engaging hind quarters / falls on forehand
- Unusual gait
- Reactive to touch, grooming or tacking up
- Unexplained behavioural changes such as bucking, rearing, refusing to go forward
- Unexplained performance deterioration
- Unsound after trauma or a fall
- Uneven shoe or foot wear
‘A week after Murphy’s session with you, we went jumping for the first time in 6 months, and got the correct canter lead every time. A big improvement! Thank you for sorting him.’ J Grimes (equine podiatrist)
Canine signs:
- Difficulty getting in and out of cars
- Unexplained performance deterioration
- Unexplained behavioural changes
- Reactive to touch or grooming
- Yelping on getting up
- Unwilling to go for walks
- Stiffness
- Assymetry (one side more developed)
‘Buster’s stiffness and crookedness has gone. He’s moving much more freely.’ N D’Onofrio (canine day care)
This approach can be used to help other animals.
Physical Therapy and Applied Biomechanics
Muscles, tendons, ligaments and nerves act on joints to facilitate movement and flexibility. Understanding the anatomical connections in the body is vital information for a physical therapist, enabling them to provide the most effective approach for the presenting issues. The applied biomechanics approach incorporates myofascial work, deep tissue work, trigger point work and gentle spinal / joint adjustments.
Jo has studied the practical therapeutic methods of Applied Equine Biomechanics with top equine chiropractor Andrew Glaister, and integrated these techniques effectively into her own work. She has also trained in Animal Spinal Manipulation with the Oxford College of Equine Physical Therapy.
As a Physical Therapist for both animals and humans, Jo incorporates deep tissue massage, stretches, joint mobilisation techniques, acu-point work, myofacial release, trigger point release, McTimoney Corley spinal therapy, thermal imaging and aspects of Kinesiology into her work.
As Jo also uses Applied Behaviour training methods, she can give further practical help or problem advice as and where is needed.