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Bliss Equine Bodyworks

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25.01.2022 ** Dressage Issues: Jaw and Poll Problems ** A VERY common problem in dressage horses (and other disciplines) is that there is a reduced mobility of the poll (C...0-C1) and jaw joints which results in a bend at C1-C2. I have crudely circled them in the images. The yellow circle shows the incorrect forced pivot at C1-C2 and the red X is indicating the reduced mobility of the poll (C0-C1) and the TMJs. The bend at C1-C2 is incorrect and will be causing not only discomfort but inhibit performance and mobility. The motions of the poll at C0-C1 (where the head is attached to the top of the neck) includes flexion and extension as well as sidebending. The motion here is very reliant upon local structures such as the immediate bones ie Occiput (C0) and Atlas (C1) as well as local joints such as the TMJs. It is even affected by distant joints such as the sacro-iliacs. Reduced motion of these related joints will reduce the mobility of the poll (C0-C1). One such cause is excessively strong bridle and bits as well as training methods. This puts a huge strain on the poll and TMJs. As a result of reduced motion of the poll (C0-C1), the next joint C1-C2 (made of the Atlas and Axis) begins to flex. This joint should rotate. Flexion and extension here is incorrect. You can see in the two images randomly taken from Google that the neck is flexing at C1-C2 and NOT C0-C1. C0-C1 (the poll) is clearly not moving in either image. Unfortunately this is an all too common finding within the equine world. It causes a lot of discomfort in the horses and hugely affects performance. This discomfort can even lead to gastric ulcers. Improving the mobility is key but since there are issues distant within the body it is incredibly important to mobilise the entire body not just the poll and TMJs. If you notice this on your horse you would be wise to investigate it sooner rather than later.

21.01.2022 COMPENSATIONS Slow road to rehab + pitfalls to avoid I wanted to talk about how the body makes adaptations over time and how we as therapists look to try to e...ncourage the body back towards a more healthy, mobile state. As you can imagine there is far more to it than what can be covered on this post but I thought it would be of interest to discuss a few basic concepts. ..................................................... The body is a wonderful thing. It adapts to survive and is very good at it. Any insult is met with a compensatory response to allow the body to continue as best as it can. These insults can be either of external or internal origin, including musculo-skeletal, visceral, circulatory, neurological, psychological etc etc. If the insult is minor the system may only briefly compensate and then soon return to normal/balance. If however the insult is major or repetitive then the compensation is more likely to remain. The ability of the body to compensate is related to it’s general vitality and overall mobility. The more mobile and vital the body is the more able it is to compensate without being overly affected. Those bodies that have too many other compensations cannot compensate further and so are more open to injury. It is the repetitive/chronic compensated horses that tend to be what I encounter the most. I have previously spoken about compensatory ripples where an insult to a specific area causes localised changes to emanate from the area and result in compensatory adaptations. The longer the insult is present (ie repetitive) or the bigger the insult (ie injury) the further the ripples spread. Eventually resulting in a large compensatory pattern throughout the body that started from this one spot. Obviously this is a simplified viewpoint as there are so many insults all taking place. In most cases there are lots of possible interactions ie rider, diet, saddle, bit, dentist, farrier, therapist, vet, genetics, bad luck..... All of which produce their own compensatory ripples. These all interact and create intricate patterns that must be unravelled. RATE OF CHANGE: When we look at how the musculo-skeletal system adapts/compensates to the insults you see certain patterns emerge. All of which have a fascial element to them. What is interesting is the rate at which tissue responds. Unsurprisingly the softer tissue compensates much faster. Fascia, tendons, ligaments, muscle make the first changes with the skeleton changing slower. They adapt to a change in the strain across the body either increasing or decreasing their own action to help the body continue to move. As time goes by and the repetitive strain continues to impose itself, the pattern becomes more ingrained within the body tissues. The balance of muscles throughout the body adapts, with some muscles reducing in size (hypotrophy or atrophy) and some increasing (hypertrophy). This now adds more uneven strain through the joints via the tendons. A frequent sight in the hindlimb is an hypotrophy of the quadriceps and a hypertrophy of the hamstrings. This dysbalance is linked to creating stifle issues, hock issues, suspensory ligament strain (PSD), hoof balance problems and even kissing spine. Given enough time with the compensations unaddressed the bones begin to adapt too, usually with some form of arthritic change. These adaptive changes can be found anywhere in the skeleton, often found in the hocks, dorsal spinal processes, neck, even the jaws and the poll. The bones have been held under abnormal strain and as a result they wear abnormally and their structure changes. Once the bones begin to make large structural changes the ability of the body to rehabilitate is reduced. These arthritic changes lead to vets medicating them and in some cases operating. But maybe the bigger issue of body strain and compensation is the key thing to address instead..... REHABILITATION: With this in mind it is therefore important to take into consideration the extent and depth of these compensations and to tailor the rehab to suit. If you try to change too much too quickly in a body that has been compensating for years you are likely to create problems elsewhere. For example, a limb that has made bony changes and therefore cannot flex easily now...by changing the HPA too quickly and introducing too much flexion too soon will likely result in tendon strain. So, over-treating can be just as detrimental as under treating. The long standing cases need a very steady, gentle, considered approach. They need time and patience. This is important for the owner to fully grasp and the professionals involved too. In some cases I will not treat the patient fully in the first session as the body will not stand up to the changes. It must be done in stages. The same can also be said about the other remedial work......excessive dental work creates problems, just as too large a change in remedial shoeing/trimming, or even if you ask too much with the exercise plan. This is because you are asking the body to move in a way that is has not been used to for a long time and choosing how much you change is what makes a good therapist. These deeply ingrained, structural changes took a long time to form their compensatory pattern. This timeframe needs to be respected. As you can see it is not only important to evaluate THE WHOLE HORSE but also have a great team of professionals who can implement these steady changes.

12.01.2022 Yes!!!! Eftpos is here