McTimoney Equine, Human & Canine Therapists

Sam Smith BSc (Hons) PG Dip MMA(A)
Equine Sports Therapy

McTimoney manipulation for Animals:

Aligns and balances the animal's musculoskeletal system. By manipulating any misaligned joints throughout the whole body, with special attention to the spine and pelvis, it helps both to restore and maintain health, soundness and performance. It works holistically to eliminate the cause, not just to treat the symptoms.

When to seek help - We rely on owners’ observations and subsequent referrals from veterinary surgeons. Indications include:

• Lameness after a fall or other accident where alternative causes have been ruled out
• Uncharacteristic changes in performance, behaviour or temperament
• Limb-dragging or odd, irregular action
• Reoccurrence of symptoms previously successfully treated by chiropractic manipulation
• Absence of any resolution of the problem, using conventional methods
  

Always consult your veterinary surgeon BEFORE chiropractic treatment, as it is illegal for anyone to treat your animal without your veterinary surgeon's approval.

What causes these problems

Trauma is often the most obvious cause e.g. falls, accidents, slipping, etc. Modern competitions often include tight turns, slippery going and twisty courses. More subtle causes are confrontation problems, such as long or weak backs, ill-fitting equipment, excess weight and even dental problems.

Horses
Horses did not evolve specifically to carry weights on their backs and modern competition places even more strain upon their skeletal structure. In addition to the general symptoms listed above, horses may also need treatment when showing the following signs:

• Unlevelness, especially behind
  
• Uneven wear of shoes
  
• Sore or "cold" backs; uneven pressure from saddles, numnahs etc
• Unexplained deterioration in usual performance
  
• Asymmetry, such as stiffness on one rein, or a disunited canter
  
• Unexplained resistance; such as napping, rearing, refusing, bucking etc
• Uneven muscle development or atrophy

As well as falls and accidents horses can damage their backs by; getting cast, slipping on icy or smooth roads and yards, wearing tight rollers, saddles or harness; being unable to meet the demands of jump-offs, advanced dressage etc.

Horses receive great benefit from preventative treatment - they are natural athletes and "fine tuning" helps them perform at their best. Taken from the McTimoney Chiropractic website

The Movement Works - www.themovementworks.co.uk

The Movement Works is a centre of excellence run by physiotherapists who specialise in the assessment, education and retraining of movement.

We use our Pilates studio equipment, specific exercise programmes and manual therapy skills to help you manage pain and injury. We can also identify movement related issues associated with performance which can enhance your sporting activities. for further information, contact: The Movement Works, The Pump Room, Lower Mill Street, Ludlow. SY8 1BH. Tel. 01584 871 061 or visit our website: www.themovementworks.co.uk

Bradford's Veterinary Physiotherapy - Chartered Physiotherapists

Rhiannon Griffiths - MSc Vet Phys. MCSP HPC Cat A ACPAT - Tel. 07791512128

Tim Bradford - MSc Vet Phys. MCSP HPC Cat A ACPAT - Tel. 07968 829667

Dalesbrook, Yarkhill, Herefordshire.  HR1 3SX . Tel/fax. 01432 890490.  Email: bradfordsvetphysio@rhi23.freeserve.co.uk

Click here for a Vet / Physio editorial by Herefordshire's Rhiannon Griffiths and Tim Bradford from the Bradford's Veterinary Physiotherapy

Hannah Mansfield Thomas MSc Veterinary Physiotherapy, BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy, Category ‘A’ member of the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Animal Therapy

Specialist in equine and canine physiotherapy - based in Herefordshire. For further information about how physiotherapy can help your animal optimise its physical potential following injury, orthopaedic surgery or neuromusculoskeletal dysfunction, contact Hannah on tel no. (answer machine) - 07715130839