Chiropractic care is a manual therapy that can be used for many health and performance problems. It focuses on the biomechanical dysfunction of the spine and its effects on the entire nervous system. Chiropractic care doesn’t pretend to encompass the entire study of health and disease, but it does offer alternative explanations for disease and provide complimentary therapy.
The purpose of chiropractic is to optimize health. The principle that guides this is the body’s innate recuperative power which is affected by and integrated through the nervous system. Animal chiropractors treat vertebral subluxation complexes (VSC). This is defined as the functional misalignment of a vertebra or the limited mobility of its facet joints. If a subluxation exists, a horse loses normal flexibility of its spine, affecting performance and resulting in stiffness and muscular pain. Horses with VSC’s may present with many symptoms, the most common of which is pain. The horse attempts to compensate for the pain by changing its posture and way of going but this can result in other problems such as joint change.
Chiropractic Treatment
A thorough chiropractic exam is performed by motioning the spine and limbs and by watching the horse move. When a VSC is identified, the aim is to correct the misalignment of the spine and restore mobility to the facet joints. Realignment is made via an adjustment. An adjustment is a very specific, short lever, high velocity, controlled thrust by hand that is directed at specific articulations. Only subluxated vertebrae are adjusted. In most cases, a single treatment is not enough to eliminate the problem. The goal of chiropractic treatment is to address neurological dysfunction to support the spine and maintain this new realigned position. Majority of horses show improvement after one to four treatments.
When done correctly, chiropractic treatment can be an effective way to maintain the health of your horse. Increasing the quality of life or health is important, especially when treating older horses. But chiropractic treatment of younger horses is also recommended as a preventative measure. Chiropractic treats the cause, not the symptoms of back problems. It restores joint mobility, enabling the horse to maximize its performance potential.