ORTHOPEDICS
BIOMECHANICS CAN IMPROVE
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Rehabilitation Protocols
When designing the most appropriate rehabilitation protocols for a sporting horse, one must consider the biomechanics of the injury, according to Sheila Schils, PhD, owner of EquiNew Therapy in River Falls, Wis. and former Professor of Equine Science at the University of Wisconsin. B y
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Issue 4/2020 | ModernEquineVet.com
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Much of what Dr. Schils understands about the role biomechanics plays in injury and recovery comes from studies in human athletes, but much of it is applicable to equine physical rehabilitation, she explained. The equine muscular skeletal system is design to allow the horse to graze for long periods. However, this spinal position must be modified for the horse to perform, regardless of the discipline. “These modifications produce forces and movement patterns that counteract the natural structural mechanics of the horse, and therefore, specific musculoskeletal adaptations must be developed by the horse to perform successfully in sport,� she said. The laws of physics are the basis of biomechanics
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