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Home / Equine Research Bank / Equine Vet J / Chiropractic effects on stride parameters and heart rate dur...
Equine veterinary journal2024; 57(1); 69-75; doi: 10.1111/evj.14043

Chiropractic effects on stride parameters and heart rate during exercise in sport horses.

Abstract: Equine veterinarians performing chiropractic treatments are frequently asked to evaluate and treat sound horses to improve their performance and address pain associated with the axial skeleton. Studies describing the effects and mechanisms of chiropractic treatments in horses without overt lameness are scarce. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of chiropractic treatments on stride rate, length, symmetry, heart rate and rider-perceived quality of the ridden work in sport horses. Methods: A blind randomised controlled trial with crossover design. Methods: Thirty-eight horses ridden in the hunter-jumper discipline were enrolled. Exercise tests were recorded before and after chiropractic or sham treatment while horses were wearing a fitness tracker. Stride length, rate and symmetry, heart rate and the perceived quality of the ridden work were compared. Results: There was a difference in the qualitative assessment of the ridden work by riders between treatments (odds ratio 33.8, 95% CI [4.68, 458.71], p < 0.01). Stride length, rate, symmetry and heart rate were not different between treatments. Conclusions: The quantitative outcomes measured may not be sensitive enough to detect changes that improve the ridden work. Terrain, weather and rider were not standard across horses making small changes difficult to detect. Conclusions: Riders participating in a blind randomised controlled trial perceived a positive effect of chiropractic treatments on the quality of the ridden work. There were no differences in stride length, stride rate, stride symmetry or heart rate. The mechanisms, indications and potential benefits of chiropractic treatments in horses need further study. Unassigned: A los veterinarios de equinos que realizan tratamientos quiroprácticos, se les pide frecuentemente evaluar y tratar caballos que están sanos para mejorar su desempeño y tratar el dolor asociado con el esqueleto axial. Estudios que describen los efectos y mecanismos de los tratamientos quiropráctico en caballos sin cojeras aparentes, son pocos. Objective: Este estudio tiene por objetivo evaluar el efecto de los tratamientos quiroprácticos sobre frecuencia, largo y simetría de la zancada, la frecuencia cardiaca y la calidad del trabajo montado percibida por el jinete en caballos de deporte. DISEÑO DEL ESTUDIO: Prueba aleatoria cegada controlada con diseño cruzado. MÉTODOS: Se enrolaron 38 caballos montados en la disciplina de caza‐salto. Pruebas de ejercicio fueron anotadas antes y después de tratamientos quiropráctico reales o simulados mientras los caballos llevaban un monitor físico. Se compararon el largo, frecuencia y simetría de la zancada, frecuencia cardiaca y calidad del trabajo montado percibida por el jinete. Results: Se encontró una diferencia en la evaluación cualitativa del trabajo montado por los jinetes entre los tratamientos (odds ratio 33.8, 95% CI [4.68, 458.71], p < 0.01). Largo, frecuencia y simetría de zancada y frecuencia cardiacas no difirieron entre tratamientos. Unassigned: Los resultados cuantitativos medidos, pueden no ser lo suficientemente sensibles para detectar cambios que mejoran el trabajo montado. El terreno, tiempo y jinete no fueron estandarizados a través de los caballos, lo que hizo que cambios pequeños fuesen difíciles de detectar. Conclusions: Los jinetes que participaron en una prueba aleatoria cegada controlada, percibieron un efecto positivo de los tratamientos quiroprácticos sobre la calidad del trabajo montado. No hubo diferencia en largo de zancada, frecuencia de zancada, simetría de zancada o frecuencia cardiaca. Los mecanismos, indicaciones y beneficios potenciales de los tratamientos quiroprácticos en caballos necesitan ser estudiados mas.
© 2024 EVJ Ltd.
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Publication Date: 2024-01-04 PubMed ID: 38176911DOI: 10.1111/evj.14043Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Veterinary

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The study investigates the effects of chiropractic treatments on stride parameters, heart rate, and perceived work quality of sport horses. It concludes that while quantitative measures like stride length, rate, symmetry, and heart rate showed no significant changes, riders perceived an improvement in the quality of the ridden work.

Research Objective

  • The objective of this study is to assess the impact of chiropractic treatments on various parameters in sport horses such as stride length, rate, symmetry, and heart rate. More importantly, it also evaluated how riders perceive the quality of ridden work post these treatments.

Research Method

  • A blind randomised controlled trial was conducted involving thirty-eight hunter-jumper discipline horses.
  • Exercise tests were carried out before and after both chiropractic treatment and a sham treatment. Fitness trackers were deployed on the horses during the tests.
  • The data was then compared for stride length, rate, symmetry, heart rate, and perceived quality of ridden work by the riders.

Research Findings

  • Post analysis, no significant difference was found in the stride length, rate, symmetry, and heart rate in horses after the chiropractic treatment.
  • However, interestingly, the riders reported a difference in the quality of the ridden work with chiropractic treatments as opposed to the sham treatments. They perceived an improvement in the work performed by the horse post-treatment.
  • The study suggests that the quantitative measures deployed might not be sensitive enough to detect the changes that correspond to improved ridden work.

Conclusions and Further Study

  • The riders reported a positive effect of chiropractic treatments on the quality of the ridden work. However, given the lack of quantitative evidence, the study suggests that more research is needed to understand the underpinning mechanisms, indications, and potential benefits of chiropractic treatments in horses.

Cite This Article

APA
Lorello O, Rule E, Haughan J, Wang K, Niu M, Brown K, Navas de Solis C. (2024). Chiropractic effects on stride parameters and heart rate during exercise in sport horses. Equine Vet J, 57(1), 69-75. https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.14043

Publication

Equine veterinary journal
ISSN: 2042-3306
NlmUniqueID: 0173320
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 57
Issue: 1
Pages: 69-75

Researcher Affiliations

Lorello, Olivia
  • Department of Clinical Studies, New Bolton Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Rule, Emily
  • Department of Clinical Studies, New Bolton Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Haughan, Joanne
  • Department of Clinical Studies, New Bolton Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Wang, Kai
  • Department of Environmental Systems Science, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Niu, Mutian
  • Department of Environmental Systems Science, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Brown, Kara
  • Department of Clinical Studies, New Bolton Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Navas de Solis, Cristobal
  • Department of Clinical Studies, New Bolton Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Horses / physiology
  • Heart Rate / physiology
  • Physical Conditioning, Animal / physiology
  • Cross-Over Studies
  • Manipulation, Chiropractic / veterinary
  • Male
  • Female
  • Gait
  • Sports
  • Horse Diseases / therapy

Grant Funding

  • Raymond Firestone Trust/Raker/Tulleners Fund/Tamworth Fund Research Grants

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