Several GCP staff enjoyed a great day out at the Bordertown Races on the weekend so I thought it would be pertinent to discuss a little known form of physiotherapy - equine physiotherapy.
As the name suggests, Equine physiotherapy is physiotherapy treatment for horses. Race horses are frequent clients for the equine physiotherapist because, like human athletes, they can get injured and when they do, this can have significant implications for their owners. Race horse owners will often do whatever it takes to get their horses back on the track as soon as possible so physiotherapists can become very important.
Equine physiotherapy is more common in the eastern states of Australia, particularly Queensland. It comes under the broader umbrella of Animal Physiotherapy, which is being taught as a Masters course at Queensland University. This popular course, which is one of only two in the world, trains students in all aspects of animal physiotherapy.
Equine physiotherapy is a specialised field of animal physiotherapy. Horses suffer from frequent back pain, just like humans. Knee and fetlock problems are also common. Although animals can't communicate in words, they can still tell you where it hurts through actions and reactions (eg biting, whincing). Treatment techniques are similar, including mobilisation of joints, massage and soft tissue release of muscles and the like.
So next time you're in pain, think about the horse out in the paddock or on the racetrack and consider it might be in pain too. There are physiotherapists out there to help with everyone's pain, be they people or animals. Contact Good Country Physiotherapy for all your pain relief needs in Keith 8755 1530 or Bordertown 8752 2330.
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