Physio vs McTimoney Chiropractor?

Denbob

Denbob

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My boy has been in on box rest for the better part of two months for a field injury, he's now allowed a little bit of turn out and we're heading towards being able to start up again very gently. He's not showing any signs of discomfort but I know i'd be stiff if I'd been stuck in all that time so wanted to get him looked over before I ride again.

I've just moved to a new area so don't have a physio/chiropractor yet, he was getting regular physio back in Hampshire but wondered what the difference was between the two and which I should start with for general maintenance? Also what should I look for with both in terms of qualifications/accrediting bodies?
 
Only limited help but I did look into the difference between physio and chiro (for humans) - whilst they seemed to feel there was a real difference, I have to say looking into the descriptions, they really didn't seem that different to me. Different schools/training and routes to getting qualification, but in terms of what they said they would do and what they were aimed at helping, it wasn't clear to me what the distinction was!

I know some people who swear by McT and others who'd never use em. I think your best bet is a good local recommendation from personal experience and then check out their credentials.
 
McTimoney chiropractic is very different to regular chiropractic. It's all featherlight 'flicky flicky' stuff. I and the neds were treated by McTimoney practitioners for many years, and whilst we all felt great immediately afterwards, the adjustments don't last long.

My knackered back improved more after two treatments by an osteopath (yet another option) than in twenty years of McTimoney! The physio made it worse...

Nowadays for the neds I use a chiropractor vet (not a McT one) and an ACPAT physio.
 
I am a convert to cranio sacral work. that has done more for me than years of both physio and chiropractic.

Personally though I think it depends more on the skill of the person who comes than which method they use. Rather like there are good BHSAIs and awful ones. It is about the skill, feel and perception of the individual, more than the exam they took.
 
I’ve had both for my boy. I would say both had results but the McTimoney was more enjoyable for the horse. The physio treatment seemed painful for him so I’d personally go with the McTimoney for a general loosen up treatment. I also had a physio with a funny machine and that had zero effect.
 
Denzel2017 said:
My boy has been in on box rest for the better part of two months for a field injury, he's now allowed a little bit of turn out and we're heading towards being able to start up again very gently. He's not showing any signs of discomfort but I know i'd be stiff if I'd been stuck in all that time so wanted to get him looked over before I ride again.

I've just moved to a new area so don't have a physio/chiropractor yet, he was getting regular physio back in Hampshire but wondered what the difference was between the two and which I should start with for general maintenance? Also what should I look for with both in terms of qualifications/accrediting bodies?
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T

A Livery is a Qualified mc Timothy Chiro. also had Physio They are different in many ways. Depending what is wrong with the horse I would use what was needed for that individual
 
Red-1 said:
Personally though I think it depends more on the skill of the person who comes than which method they use. Rather like there are good BHSAIs and awful ones. It is about the skill, feel and perception of the individual, more than the exam they took.
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This is definitely an important factor. i also like to choose people who are competitive riders and understand what I am describing when describing the horses performance & can suggest ridden exercises for development/maintenance.

Personally I've had the best experiences and most thoughtful discussions with ACPAT physios - the ones I've used have always started with a comprehensive examination of the horse moving, straight lines/circles/tight turns etc. and then treat with a combination of hands-on stuff, H Wave, laser etc, all quite versatile.

I have one McT Chiro that I would use as an alternative but mainly in a routine "check up" way rather than actual regular maintenance. There's a whole raft of other back quacks round me, some of the other liveries use them as they are cheap but tbh it's a complete false economy as some are now finding :(
 
Absolutely agree with Red and have found the same with my own treatments, if they are good it doesn't matter too much what they did to get good.
 
I would always choose McTimoney by a qualified and competent practitioner. I have hugely benefitted from it as did my old horses. I was completely put off physio when the therapist who was attached to my vet surgery came 2 hours late, whizzed my horse around in a couple of small circles on either rein, said he was fine, snatched £50 from my hand and sped off in her expensive car. He wasn't fine and a brilliant McTimoney practitioner spotted it straight away and put it right in two treatments.
 
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