Chiropractic care is a manual therapy, which can be used for many health and performance problems. Chiropractic focuses on the biomechanical dysfunction of the spine and its effect on the entire nervous system throughout the body. Chiropractic treatment does not replace traditional veterinary medicine; however, it can provide additional means of diagnosis and treatment options for spinal problems as well as biomechanical related musculoskeletal disorders. Chiropractic can often eliminate the source of acute or chronic pain syndromes.

Uses of chiropractic treatment

 

 

The spine

A horse’s spine is a very complex structure consisting of bones, ligaments, muscles and nerves. It fulfills various functions in the body providing:

• A framework of support
• Attachment for many muscles
• Protection of the spinal cord
• Protection of internal organs

Numerous muscles are attached to the vertebrae enabling the spine to move. Even though individual vertebral joints have little mobility, the back and neck as a whole is very flexible. Without this flexibility a horse cannot move fluently, jump obstacles or perform properly.

	The spine consists of bones called vertebrae. It is made up of 7 cervical vertebrae, 18 thoracic vertebrae (that connect with the ribs), 6 lumbar vertebrae, 5 sacral vertebrae (which are fused called the sacrum) and 16 to 18 coccygeal vertebrae.
Where one vertebra connects with another is called a joint (there are approximately 200 joints in a horse’s spine). Joints are held together by a vast number of ligaments

The spinal cord runs through the vertebral canal in the centre of the vertebrae. Nerves branch off from the spinal cord and leave the spinal canal in pairs. The nerve branches (called spinal nerves) leave the spinal canal through small spaces formed by adjacent vertebra (called Intervertebral Foramen – IVF). Nerves transfer information between the brain, spinal cord, organs, muscles and other parts of the body. As the central nervous system monitors and controls all organ and tissue function, the transmission of information to and from it must flow freely to allow proper function.

 

 

What is a Vertebral Subluxation Complex (VSC)?

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