Veterinarians are using chiropractic techniques more frequently to evaluate and treat back disorders in horses. Here, a CSU professor and researcher outlines basic principles.
Posted by Alexandra Beckstett, The Horse Managing Editor | Jul 16, 2019
Veterinarians are using chiropractic techniques more frequently to evaluate and treat back disorders in horses. These therapies are not taught in vet school, however, so Kevin Haussler, DVM, DC, PhD, Dipl. ACVSMR, Orthopaedic Research Center faculty at Colorado State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, in Fort Collins, introduced their basic principles at the 2018 American Association of Equine Practitioners Convention, held Dec. 1-5 in San Francisco, California.
Chiropractic, derived from the Greek words for “hand” and “to practice,” encompasses a variety of manual therapies, said Haussler, including touch, massage, stretching, joint mobilization and manipulation, and induced spinal reflexes. Specially trained veterinarians often use it to address poor performance or vague lameness, to evaluate the spine, and as a conservative treatment option for musculoskeletal issues.
Researchers have reported back issues in 13-94% of study horses and 23-32% of horses with lameness. Diagnosis, however, is often difficult, and Haussler said the few treatment options veterinarians have include chiropractic, acupuncture, and surgery.
Signs of a spinal disorder include inflammation, pain, heat, reduced vertebral motion, muscle atrophy (wasting) and weakness, decreased performance, and poor motor control.
And, he added, “don’t underestimate the value of looking at horses with abnormal behavior. It might be the first sign of back pain.”
So how does chiropractic fit into the diagnostic picture?
“Chiropractic does not stand alone,” said Haussler. “It’s incorporated into the entire diagnosis.”
He described the steps he might take when looking at a horse experiencing back or performance issues.
- First, Haussler performs a structural analysis of the horse’s posture and conformation, looking for signs such as a head tilt, asymmetry, spinal deformation, abnormal muscle development, or holding the tail to one side.
- He’ll then perform dynamic observation—watching the horse move at liberty, on the longe (looking at the horse’s symmetry, impulsion, muscle activation, and transitions), and while ridden (looking for fluid motion, neck and poll movement, and acceptance of the bit).
- Next, Haussler puts his hands on the horse to do a general myofascial exam, feeling for muscle tone and applying pressure to acupuncture points to evaluate the response.
- A deeper soft tissue evaluation involves palpating the skin, muscles, and connective tissues.
- He palpates the cervical and spinous processes and the pelvis and find out if the horse has more bone pain than soft tissue or muscle pain.
- Haussler assesses spinal motion by asking the horse to move the spine and looking for signs of stiffness. “There should be symmetrical bending to both sides,” he said.
- He then focuses on the individual vertebrae and their connective tissues to assess vertebral mobility. He does this by using joint mobilization techniques such as flexion, extension, and rotation of the individual vertebral segments.
- Haussler also performs a neurologic exam to rule out traumatic, infectious, or toxic causes of the horse’s signs. To evaluate neuromuscular coordination, he asks the horse to lift one limb and manually spirals it around in a dinner-plate-sized circle to see if the movement is smooth or jerky. He also looks at hind-limb protraction and retraction.
- Lastly, he gauges the horse’s spinal reflexes by performing maneuvers such as sternal elevation and pelvic flexion. “These should be smooth and controlled,” he said.
After this whole-body exam, Haussler can devise a treatment plan based on the individual horse and problem areas. Overall treatment goals include reducing pain, saddle pressure, and muscle spasms while improving motor control, spinal flexibility, symmetry, range of motion, stride length, and performance. He said there’s evidence that chiropractic can do all this.
“It’s the most proven therapy out there for horses with chronic back pain,” he said, adding that it’s not a cure-all for back problems but, rather, can help restore horses’ normal musculoskeletal function after rehabbing from surgery or other issues. He also warned against using it on horses with joint disorders or acute injuries.
Haussler reminded attendees that “successful chiropractic treatment requires specific techniques and psychomotor skills. A thorough knowledge of vertebral anatomy and joint biomechanics is required for proper chiropractic evaluation and treatment.”
Only veterinarians or human chiropractors certified in animal chiropractic care by the IVCA or the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association (AVCA) can be equine chiropractors.