# Twisted pelvis



## showqa (11 September 2008)

Had the backman out to my boy and he's diagnosed a twisted pelvis and three twisted feet (twisted feet due to an awkward landing when he 
jumped out of the manege). Now I've heard many a person say that their horse has had a twisted pelvis, so just wondered if there was any useful info/advice out there. He reckons it should settle ok so I'm no unduly stressed, although of course I could do without it!


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## jumpthemoon (11 September 2008)

What kind of 'backman' was he? I have Mctimoney and they are very good for realigning things. Is he due to come back out and check it again to make sure it is ok? Did he do any exercises to straighten it up?


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## Amymay (11 September 2008)

At which point did this 'back person' recommend the vet.  The horse must have been in agony............


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## jb4 (11 September 2008)

Hi my show pony has had problems with her pelvis,She wasnt tracking up ,We think she was kicked and she was unsound with it for a couple of days,I was very worried as it was effecting her showing she had won county level and then was being placed down the line ! I had her back done and she is now alot better,The lady came out twice.Good luck and im sure your horse will be fine.


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## ChocoCornflake (11 September 2008)

QR- 
It should in theory settle down and be fine but of course that depends on why it was 'twisted' (out of alignment) in the first place.  It is likely your horse will need some follow up treatments to relax off the muscles and ligaments that will be holding the bones of his pelvis in this disaligned position.

The 'backman' (what was he? physio/chiro/osteo?) should have recommended a rehabilitation plan that will ensure a correct recovery.

It is impossible to know what to advise without seeing the horse, but I would build work back up slowly, gentle hill work may be of benefit, but listen to your horse and if he feeels like he is uncomfortable, you should get someone out again.

Good luck!


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## showqa (11 September 2008)

Yeah - he's a chiropracter - highly recommended. He reckons it was slightly twsited, but will settle, and was probably an existing condition exacerbated by a bad landing after my horse jumped out of the manege whilst being loose schooled. Advice is to just turn him out until Monday, then gentle hacking until check up in two weeks time before stepping up a gear.


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## Flame_ (11 September 2008)

"A twisted pelvis and three twisted feet" are you having a laugh. I've got strange images of a horse bent in all sorts of directions in my head! Get the vet if the horse isn't right.


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## ChocoCornflake (11 September 2008)

Sounds good!
I think the word 'twisted' makes what has happened sound a lot worse than it is...
Trouble is it is hard to explain what is going on to the average person who has a limited understanding of anatomical/medical terminology...eg if I said to you ''the sacrum is in counter nutation'' you may think I was speaking hebrew!

Best of luck with getting back on track with your horse, and hope all is ok in his next check up...


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## Amymay (11 September 2008)

But equally ChocoCornflake - to describe a horse as having a twisted pelvis, and three twisted legs is totally misleading, inaccurate, and really scare mongering.

If people (like you by the sounds of it) who treat backs actually explained with out such phrases what was going on - a lot more of us would feel happier and more confident about using them.

My horse has regular treatment on his back - but to be quite frank I am totally in the dark about whether the treatment he receives is the 'right' treatment for him or not.  And phrases like twisted pelvis etc. do nothing to improve the impression...


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## showqa (11 September 2008)

No KVS - unfortunately I'm not "HAVING A LAUGH". But glad to hear that my horse's misfortune has brightened your life up a little. 

The guy said three of his feet had twisted - as in, the long and short pasterns has also become slightly misaligned. And as for "get the vet in", they can be pretty unhelpful unless there's obvious sites of heat/lumps and bumps, of which there are none. Likewise, he's perfectly sound in the field and clearly pain free when he's doing his morning bucks. It's under saddle and schooling that he is sore.


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## wizzi901 (11 September 2008)

QR - I'm sorry but your "backman" has said horse has had a twisted pelvis and legs are "out" and done nothing treatment wise? 

Its just going to settle and put itself back then?

Not sure who you use and whilst I would go on recommendation (you state the guy is highly recommended) I am very surprised he has not realigning anything or even suggested massage to assist etc or heat treatment.

If your horse has or is in pain I would get a proper qualified physio at the very least out.  Mel Gurdon is fab, not sure which area you are, but google her!


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## Flame_ (11 September 2008)

I'm not entertained by your horse's mis-fortune, I'm entertained by yours. You are being taken for a ride, "mis-alligned long and short pasterns", have you heard yourself? 

I agree many vets can be pretty unhelpful when they say they can't tell what a problem is, some problems can only be diagnosed with extensive investigation, so its hardly their fault they don't have x-ray vision. So you are paying a bloke who is telling you what you want to hear, which is actually any old b***ocks IMO.


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## siennamum (11 September 2008)

I think that problem is that it is well nigh impossible for pelvises to move in the way the terms used by 'back people' infer, so when they say rotated, which is common, or even twisted it makes you think that there is a serious problem with the bones.
What the back man may have meant is that there is soft tissue damage which is making the horse carry his pelvis unevenly. 
I'm suprised you didn't have some stretching excercises to help relax the muscles and another visit booked for futher manipulation/massage.

If your horse has moved any bones in his body - like his pasterns, I would be really alarmed and personally want the vet. I woudl also expect him to be hobbling.


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## siennamum (11 September 2008)

I might also get the vet out to investigate this existing condition. Almost withourt fail back problems are symptoms of a problem elsewhere. Generally hocks, feet, teeth, tack or poor riding. If your horse has a 'condition' I would demand some detail from the backman &amp; have the vet investigate it.


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## showqa (11 September 2008)

He HAS manipulated and he IS coming back to check him. The guy was recommended to my friend by her vet when she has similar problems. He is not some quack that has set himself up - and by the way KVS, you need to find some manners.


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## LOZHUG (11 September 2008)

Showqa was it B who came out??


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## BID (11 September 2008)

I agree with you chococornflake.  The terminology given to the "average non medical" person to describe and understand a condition can be greatly misinterpretated especially when put in a post on here which then causes others to comment and advise on a problem they do not have all the correct facts about.  I had a problem with my boy's pelvis not so long ago and my chiro used similar terminology but she explained it was to try to make me uinderstatnd what was going on.  She treated my boy and he is now back to normal.


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## TarrSteps (11 September 2008)

I'd have to agree with AmyMay that the terminology doesn't "add up" for anyone with a working knowledge of anatomy.  To say that a joint is "twisted" or in some other way not lining up on a skeletal level is to imply a SERIOUS problem, as in a dislocation.  If anyone has ever dislocated a joint they have an idea how incredibly painful and serious such a situation is . . . hence the raised eyebrows.

I'm not even too worried if people can't completely explain what they're doing so long as the recognise and admit this fact.  There are more things in heaven and earth and I've seen people do amazing things that they can't really describe, let alone explain.  BUT, especially in the case of chiropractors, there has been such a push to see it as a "real" science, with proven and quantifiable practices and results.  Again, fine, but if you want me to believe you completely understand the ins and outs of what you're doing you need to be able to explain it to me, even if I'm not fully capable of understanding the context.  I can always educate myself further if I'm interested.

Don't get me wrong, I don't think vets are particularly good at diagnosing many "sports injuries" and subtle problems in horses unless they show up on a test.  I've seen many physio/chiropractors/alternative professionals treat things that have had vets scratching their heads. Best, I think, is the broadest possible knowledge of all the information available or, at the very least, a good working relationship between people with different specialities.  And I think people who want me to believe they know all the ins and outs of what they're up to should be able to explain what they know - process, results, context etc.  There is always the option of saying "I don't know exactly why it works but I know it works." and then proving it to me but to "make up" an explanation to explain something you can't totally explain . . . well, it's no wonder people get sceptical.


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## showqa (11 September 2008)

Yes Lozhug - it was B - he has been out to my neighbour's  horse as it turns out.

Blimey, all I was asking was if anyone had any personal knowledge of this and to pass on any useful info. And the thing is, whether or not the terminology is accurate as such, over the years I've heard of many horses being diagnosed with it too. Indeed, the net has all manner of related articles referring to "twisted pelvis", so maybe I should have just read all those instead!


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## LOZHUG (11 September 2008)

Lol.

He is highly recommended by my vet who is an Equine vet. Never mind ey.

Get reading lol

Hope you get sorted soon x


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## OWLIE185 (11 September 2008)

If your horse has suffered an injury as a result of jumping out of a menage then the vet is the first person to call in to make a diagnosis and recommend a course of treatment.

The back person may be excellent but without the vet providing a diagnosis and then reffering you for further tests and/or a course of treatment the back person could be at worst causing more damage and pain to your horse and at least wasting your money.


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## Amymay (11 September 2008)

I think Showqa that this is an area that many of us are very interested in - and would like to know more about.  Your post has merely prompted question in peoples mind and therefore a discussion.  It's not a personal attack on you (as you seem to think).

As you say, you can read a lot of literature on twisted pelvis's and pelvis's that are 'out' etc.  But as said by another poster - things like this involving joints supposedly happening on a regular basis are to be questioned.  It is nearly impossible for an animals of a horses size to have it's bones misaligned as some 'back people' would have us believe.  And having discovered one of the horses on my yard with a dislocated hip joint recently, can tell you that the only outcome is destruction of said animal.

So, again, this is a really, really interesting subject - but common sense has to prevail.


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## flyingfeet (11 September 2008)

I am deeply skeptical about all 'back men'

If you seriously think that a human manipulating parts of your horse can realign bones or muscles I think you are perhaps thinking too much of them. 

Now I can understand a massage soothing muscles, but nothing further. 

I laugh at a friend of mine who constantly has the back man out, but she 'bounces' really hard on her horses back, so I can understand the need.


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## ChocoCornflake (11 September 2008)

QR- It is all just bad terminology. For example people often refer to themselves as having ''slipped a disc'' but this is impossible - it is just a simpler way of describing what is going on in words anyone can understand.
Unfortunately this practitioner has probably done a bad job of explaining what may well be a very complex problem, but then he probably did not forsee his diagnosis being scrutinised by the HHO masses!


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## Flame_ (11 September 2008)

What's the correct term for the "three twisted feet" then? I'm dying to know. I'm also dying to know how the back man reached this conclusive, technical diagnosis.


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## ChocoCornflake (11 September 2008)

God knows, I wasnt there! Since when did a horse have feet for that matter?!
I am not a chiropractor so I dont know what techniques he would of used.
Why don't you ask the OP to ring and find out?


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## Flame_ (11 September 2008)

Thanks, I guess I didn't do a very good job of conveying sarcasm. I don't really think there is a technical term for "twisted feet" and I'm miffed that some so-called expert has managed to convince a genuinely concerned horse owner that there is.


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## Amymay (11 September 2008)

[ QUOTE ]
Thanks, I guess I didn't do a very good job of conveying sarcasm. I don't really think there is a technical term for "twisted feet" and I'm miffed that some so-called expert has managed to convince a genuinely concerned horse owner that there is. 

[/ QUOTE ]

And that just hits the nail on the head!


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