BECKA KEAY
Equine & Canine McTimoney Chiropractor
MSc (Distinction),BSc (Hons), PG Dip, MMAA
AHPR registered
07805038566
What is McTimoney?
The McTimoney animal technique was started by John McTimoney in the 1950's.
He originally treated only people but at the request of his clients adapted the technique that we now use today.
The McTimoney chiropractic technique allows the body to restore symmetry and allow the joints to resume their normal range of movement. The soft tissue around the joints release and the nervous system to readjusts stimulating the body's innate intelligence to heal.
It is a very gentle and holistic treatment which means the whole body is assessed and treated rather than just one specific area.
During palpation of the spine I am feeling for any misalignments.
Misalignments are where the processes of the spine have slightly rotated within their natural range of movement which causes a narrowing of the joint space between each veretebrae.
This is significant because the spinal cord runs through the vertebrae and from this the peripheral nerves exit through the joint spaces. This narrowing of the joint space can put pressure on the nerves which can cause discomfort and poor performance.
During treatment it is normal for animals to yawn, lick and chew as the body relaxes and begins to process the treatment.
What are the causes & symptoms of a horse/dog needing treatment?
Symptoms to look out for in horses are:
- Saddle slipping to one side
-Struggling to bend on one rein
-Disunited canter or struggling with one canter lead
-Deterioration in performance
-Unwilling to exercise/stiff during exercise or rest
-Not wanting to jump/load into horse box/trailer
-Napping, bucking, rearing and not going forwards
-Uneven muscle development
Symptoms to look out for in dogs are:
-yelping when getting up from lying down
-Stiffness in the morning
-Unwilling to exercise
-Lack of normal energy
-Struggling to jump into the car/sofa/bed/stairs
-Discomfort shown when stroking them
-Uneven muscle development
There are both acute and chronic causes of misalignments and asymmetry in the horses/dogs body.
Acute causes would be from a direct trauma such as a rotational fall, slipping over in the field, another dog/horse colliding into yours etc.
Chronic causes of misalignments are long term issues that may of arisen without us initially noticing such as saddle fit, rider weight, wear and tear from increased work load, conformational issues.