Efficacy of spinal manipulation and mobilisation on trunk flexibility and stiffness in horses: a randomised clinical trial.
Abstract: Spinal mobilisation and spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) are being applied to horses; however, there are limited objective measures of their effects on spinal mobility or stiffness in actively ridden horses. Objective: To quantify passive spinal movements induced during dorsoventral mobilisation of the trunk and to identify any potential effects of SMT on measures of spinal mobility within the thoracolumbar region in standing horses. We hypothesise that displacement amplitudes will be significantly increased across vertebral levels after SMT, compared to spinal mobilisation only within the control group. Methods: Passive spinal mobility was assessed in 24 actively ridden mature horses once a week for 3 weeks. Peak vertical displacement, loading and unloading velocities, applied force, stiffness and the frequency of truncal oscillations induced during dorsoventral spinal mobilisation were measured at 5 thoracolumbar sites and compared between treatment (n = 12) and control (n = 12) groups. Each week, outcome parameters were measured pre- and post intervention, 10 min apart. Treatment consisted of manually-applied, high-velocity, low-amplitude (HVLA) thrusts directed at the 5 intervertebral sites. Control horses received no additional intervention. A mixed-effects linear regression model was used to assess the interactive effects of treatment group, vertebral level, week and pre-/post intervention. Results: Post intervention displacement amplitudes of the trunk and applied forces were significantly higher in the SMT group, compared to the control group. A similar trend was found for increased spinal stiffness within the SMT group. Across vertebral levels, SMT induced a 40% increase in displacement, a 20% increase in applied force and a 7% increase in stiffness. Conclusions: SMT increased dorsoventral displacement of the trunk, which is indicative of producing increased passive spinal flexibility in actively ridden horses. Further clinical research is needed on the effectiveness of manual therapies in horses with objective measures of back pain, stiffness and poor performance.
© 2010 EVJ Ltd.
Publication Date: 2011-05-27 PubMed ID: 21059083DOI: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.2010.00241.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Randomized Controlled Trial
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research article undertook a clinical trial to assess the effects of spinal mobilisation and spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) on the flexibility and stiffness of the spines of actively ridden horses. The objective was to provide quantitative data on these techniques, hypothesizing that they would led to greater spinal mobility. The results indicated that the SMT group did exhibit significantly increased trunk displacement and applied force, indicating increased spinal flexibility.
Objective of the Research
- This research aimed to assess the impact of spinal manipulation and spinal mobilisation on horses, specifically in relation to spinal mobility and stiffness. The goal was to provide objective, measurable data on the effects of these therapies, given their increasing application to horses.
Methodology
- The experiment involved 24 actively ridden mature horses. Over a period of three weeks, passive spinal mobility was assessed in the horses.
- Parameters such as peak vertical displacement, loading and unloading velocities, applied force, stiffness, and the frequency of truncal oscillations were measured at five different locations in each horse’s spine.
- The horses were split into two groups: one that received manual high-velocity, low-amplitude (HVLA) thrusts and a control group that did not receive any additional intervention.
- Measurements were taken before and after the intervention, with a gap of 10 minutes, each week.
- Data analysis was conducted using a mixed-effects linear regression model to assess the interactive effects of treatment group, vertebral level, week and pre-/post intervention results.
Results
- Results indicated that post-intervention displacement amplitudes of the trunk and the applied forces were significantly higher in the SMT group compared to the control group, suggesting greater spinal flexibility.
- Similarly, an increase in spinal stiffness was found in the SMT group, indicating another impacting effect of the therapy.
- Across the vertebral levels, the SMT induced a 40% increase in displacement, a 20% increase in applied force, and a 7% increase in stiffness.
Conclusions
- The research concludes that spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) can increase the dorsoventral displacement of a horse’s trunk, suggesting increased spinal flexibility.
- However, the researchers recommend further clinical research is needed including objective measures of back pain, stiffness and performance to corroborate and expand on these insights.
Cite This Article
APA
Haussler KK, Martin CE, Hill AE.
(2011).
Efficacy of spinal manipulation and mobilisation on trunk flexibility and stiffness in horses: a randomised clinical trial.
Equine Vet J Suppl(38), 695-702.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-3306.2010.00241.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA. haussler@colostate.edu
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Biomechanical Phenomena
- Female
- Horses / physiology
- Male
- Manipulation, Spinal / methods
- Manipulation, Spinal / veterinary
Citations
This article has been cited 8 times.- Saitua A, Pérez-Umbría J, García-Álamo K, Muñoz A. Dynamic Mobilization Exercises Improve Activity and Stride Parameters Measured with Accelerometry in Sedentary Horses. Animals (Basel) 2025 Oct 10;15(20).
- Langenfeld A, Baechler M, Swanenburg J, Mühlemann M, Nyirö L, Streuli D, Wirth B, Schweinhardt P. Systematic review on biomechanical effects of high-velocity, low amplitude spinal manipulation. PLoS One 2025;20(7):e0328048.
- Maldonado MD, Parkinson SD, Story MR, Haussler KK. The Effect of Chiropractic Treatment on Limb Lameness and Concurrent Axial Skeleton Pain and Dysfunction in Horses. Animals (Basel) 2022 Oct 19;12(20).
- Lin G, Van Kuiken M, Wang G, Banie L, Tan Y, Zhou F, Wang Z, Chen Y, Zhang Y, Lue TF. Microenergy acoustic pulse therapy restores function and structure of pelvic floor muscles after simulated birth injury. Transl Androl Urol 2022 May;11(5):595-606.
- Haussler KK, Hesbach AL, Romano L, Goff L, Bergh A. A Systematic Review of Musculoskeletal Mobilization and Manipulation Techniques Used in Veterinary Medicine. Animals (Basel) 2021 Sep 24;11(10).
- Atalaia T, Prazeres J, Abrantes J, Clayton HM. Equine Rehabilitation: A Scoping Review of the Literature. Animals (Basel) 2021 May 22;11(6).
- Jun P, Pagé I, Vette A, Kawchuk G. Potential mechanisms for lumbar spinal stiffness change following spinal manipulative therapy: a scoping review. Chiropr Man Therap 2020 Mar 23;28(1):15.
- Reed WR, Cao DY, Long CR, Kawchuk GN, Pickar JG. Relationship between Biomechanical Characteristics of Spinal Manipulation and Neural Responses in an Animal Model: Effect of Linear Control of Thrust Displacement versus Force, Thrust Amplitude, Thrust Duration, and Thrust Rate. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2013;2013:492039.
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