Sydney Equestrian Physiotherapy is affiliated with Equi-Motion, an Australian based business with a focus on the field of horse & rider biomechanics. Click on the image to learn more.

 

 

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End of year Xmas drinks. Thanks to you all for a great 2017! So true! #justmove While I’m taking a baby break for a couple of months, I’m thrilled to have Annabel Hawker covering for me in the clinic every Monday. To book please contact us on 0414 649 449 or info@sephysio.com.au Annabel has over 25 years of riding experience and can’t imagine a life without horses! She initially was a keen participant at Pony Club before branching into pure dressage initially, then making a complete change of direction to showjumping, competing in this field for the last 12 years. Annabel was also a keen dancer as a teenager, and this led her to the field of physiotherapy and pilates. She graduated in 2009 from Sydney University with First Class Honours, with her thesis on ankle injuries. Since that time, Annabel has worked mainly in private practice, with a specific focus on sporting injuries. She has particular experience in shoulder, pelvic and lower limb injuries, which are all areas where she has experienced injury herself as a rider. Annabel has a varied range of sporting experience, working with Sydney University Rugby Club and as the head physiotherapist for St Aloysius School in Sydney and the NSW AFL Referees Association. She has also been the physiotherapist for dancers at Northbridge Dance Centre, including those who have gone onto full time dance careers. She has established her own equestrian clinic on the Central Coast, having identified a need for specific therapy for riders in this area. Annabel is currently undertaking her Masters of Sports Physiotherapy through La Trobe University and has also undertaken post graduate training in treating the sporting hip, shoulder, spine, knee, foot and ankle, Mulligans method and sports taping. What a change in this horse, and it's only been 4 weeks since we started a rehab program with her. A combination of in-hand walking, long lining and lunging, including the use of ankle weights to help build those hindquarter muscles. Carrot stretches and isometric exercises have also been introduced to help improve her core and pelvic stability. Physio treatment has included the use of neuromuscular stimulation (NMES) to help target those weak and atrophied muscles. Excited to see the continued improvements she makes, her owner is doing a great job! #sephysio #equinephysio #equinerehab This is Woody. Woody sustained a puncture wound to one of his eyes late last year. Thankfully he didn't lose his eye, and after a period of time off, he started to come back into work. However the laid back, easy going Woody had changed after his accident. He started to have issues under saddle, including leaping, pawing at the ground, wanting to stop and rub his face on his legs and increased spookiness, with occasional episodes of rearing. At his physio assessment Woody was extremely reactive around his ear and jaw region on the same side that he had sustained the eye injury, leading us to suspect that he had perhaps sustained nerve damage. We referred Woody to have a vet consultation with one of the Sydney Uni vets, who confirmed that his symptoms and behaviour did seem to be due to nerve pain. An increase in his blood pressure, brought on by anxiety or exercise, was likely causing him to suffer from sharp, shooting pains, explaining his sometimes sudden and violent reactions. He is due to undergo further assessment and scans by the specialist vets at the university to confirm this diagnosis and formulate a treatment plan to help manage his pain. If your horse is displaying a sudden change in behaviour, please don't put it down to them simply 'being naughty'. A horse's temperament doesn't just change for no reason, arrange a consultation with your veterinarian to obtain a proper diagnosis. Woody is very fortunate to have his owner, @ashleighrose.equestrian, who knew something wasn't right so she had him investigated further, and is very dedicated to managing his condition. So very true, for both horses and humans! #ligaments #physio #sportsmedicine #sephysio Busy day at the Equi-Motion office, taking some high-speed video footage so that we can perform some jumping biomechanics analysis with these amateur show jumpers. To learn more go to www.equimotion.com.au It's so nice when I find the time to be the one sitting up here #sephysio #practicingwhatipreach What a difference physiotherapy has made to this racehorse. The picture on the left was taken at our first consultation last year. 4 months previously he had sustained a very nasty laceration just above his carpus (the picture of the original injury is quite gruesome so I won't show it!). He was still very lame on this leg, and had very limited movement in his carpal (knee) joint, with the range of bend only 10 degrees. He dragged his toe along the ground as he walked and wouldn't tolerate having the leg picked up, so was unable to be trimmed or shod. He had considerable muscle spasm all through his shoulder and neck on the affected side, and not surprisingly, was a pretty irritable horse. His owner/trainer was motivated to perform some rehabilitation in the hopes of getting him back on the racetrack. We started a comprehensive treatment plan, including therapeutic ultrasound to help with wound healing and inflammation, massage to the surrounding soft tissue, joint range and mobilisation and hydrotherapy (water walker). The 2nd picture was taken 6 months later. The horse regained full movement in his carpal joint and had made a return to racing. This horse's owner played a huge role in getting this horse back on track, highlighting the importance of doing the exercises and rehab given by your physio on a regular basis. I look forward to seeing the continual improvements that he makes! #sephysio #horsephysio #racing #equine #physio #rehab
#kinesiotaping has many uses, including management of oedema. Here is a #lymphatic taping technique to try and help bring down the swelling on this nasty injury #sephysio #equinephysio #equinerehab Congratulations to #sephysio clients Gail and Stefan on their Small Tour Championship win at Scone! Training out of the saddle is just as important as training on the horse. Swiss balls and theraband are very effective tools to help work on improving your riding position #sephysio #equestrianphysio #equestrianpilates Big thanks to @drjenlugton for having me tag along with her today. Jen specialises in podiatry and is doing some amazing work with laminitic horses. Our article in this months Hills & Hawkesbury Equestrian News - Pilates for your Horse #sephysio #equinephysio #equinerehab #lestweforget
Can you see which postural faults this rider has that may be causing her to experience headaches and neck pain? Click on the link in profile to learn more about headaches and riding posture #sephysio #equestrian #equestrianphysio #cervicogenicheadaches #neckpain #posture More so than many other sports, core control in riding is paramount. However the concept of core stability is poorly understood by most people. Click on the link in our profile to learn more about core stability and how it applies to the equestrian #equestrianpilates #equestrianphysio #corestability #equestrian #sephysio