Physiotherapy
Staff
Jo Spear BSc. M.C.S.P. ACPAT registered physiotherapist. BHSAI.
Jo is consultant physiotherapist to the AHT and is used in the diagnosis, treatment and management of lameness, poor performance and rider related problems.
About Physiotherapy
In many cases of orthopaedic disease and poor performance secondary complications and compensations arise. For example, many owners note that their horse has a ‘sore back’, but it is unbeknown to them that the cause of the ‘sore back’ is compensation for hindlimb lameness. Without treatment, improvement and ideally resolution of lameness, the back pain will continue. However, often if lameness can be resolved, physiotherapy is required to aid resolution of the secondary muscle pain, muscle groups and improve core muscle strength.
Many horses also become weak in specific areas, due to inability to move correctly, secondary to lameness, rider inability or rider disability. This can also be addressed with the use of physiotherapy, on both horse and rider.
Use of physiotherapy to improve ‘core muscle strength’ can reduce the chance of injury, support areas of previous or ongoing injury and allow increase in muscular strength and support to areas without placing too much stress and strain on areas that are receiving rest and therapy. Again this can apply to both horse and rider.
Assessment and treatment of horse and rider.
Rider
- Evaluation of core stability and muscle balance.
- Personal exercise programme
- Treatment of joints, ligaments, tendons and muscles in limbs, back and neck using joint and soft tissue mobilisation, ultrasound and laser therapy.
Horse
- Evaluation of muscle balance (strengths and weakness).
- Exercise programme to improve the muscle balance.
- Treatment of degenerative joints, tendon, ligament and muscle injuries.
- Neck, back and pelvis problems.
- Liaison with veterinary surgeons.
- Horses can be assessed and treated at the AHT following diagnosis under joint management of our clinicians and Jo. Horses can then be seen on an outpatient basis at the AHT for follow up treatments and assessments.
For physiotherapy enquires please contact the AHT or to speak to Jo directly please contact, Jackie Jackson (secretary) on 01508 499061 or jackson.jc@btinternet.com