Most people have heard of the benefits of chiropractic medicine when it comes to their animals. The skeletal system provides the framework for the entire body, protecting soft tissue and organs, and creating a haven for nerve pathways and the Central Nervous System. Thus it is incredibly important for the skeletal structure to be in the correct position for yourself, your horse, or your dog to function optimally.
Like all parts of the body, however, the skeletal structure doesn’t work alone. Ligaments attach bone to bone to stabilize the joints. Muscle then works to contract or extend the joints. Muscle alone comprises almost 45% of a horse’s weight.
Muscles flex/extend the joint -> Pulls on the tendon -> Adds pressure on the bone.
There is a bit of the chicken or the egg dilemma when it comes to lameness or rehabilitation of your animal. Sometimes the muscle becomes tight or knotted due to exercise or slippage, pulling on the tendon and joints, which then pulls on the bone creating an imbalance in the body. Other times the vertebrae are out of alignment, like in hip dysplasia or SI issues where the result is increased pressure on the tendons and joints, which then creates inflammation and knotting in the muscle. Regardless, the skeletal system and the muscle work together in balance. When the balance is upset lameness and injury may occur.
Often we see horses that have had their hocks injected with cortisone because of inflammation. Upon our examination of the skeletal structure and soft tissue we find that the hocks are being pulled up to a tight hamstring, usually resulting in lumbar and sacral or pelvis misalignment. The problem will never truly resolve until the source is located and placed in the original position with the muscle supporting.
Everything in nature works toward balance including our animals at their most basic level. The body is a machine and if one part is loose or stuck it creates a chain reaction throughout the rest of the system eventually resulting in lameness or injury.
This is why we address the entire musculoskeletal structure in one supercharged session combining the specialities of a Chiropractor, Dr. Madi Rauch and a Certified Equine and Canine Sports Massage Therapist, Heather Wallace.