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California Riding Magazine • March, 2009 Oakhill Shockwave and Veterinary Chiropractic by Kathleen Burke Jensen |
Dr. Jenny Johnson, VMD, started Oakhill Shockwave in 2004 as a way to make shockwave therapy readily accessible to the equines of Southern California. Located in the Los Angeles area’s Calabasas, Dr. Johnson delivers the highest quality care at the horse’s own barn in conjunction with local veterinary practitioners. Having recently completed a course of veterinary chiropractic training at the Options For Animals College of Animal Chiropractic, Dr. Johnson is pleased to offer chiropractic services to the horses and dogs of Southern California beginning this month. Chiropractic care has been commonly used in horses for some time and is frequently used to address lameness or an awkward way of going that has not been resolved with more traditional treatments. For many people there is a misconception that chiropractic adjustments involve correcting a bone that is out of place. This is not an accurate representation of chiropractic care. In simple terms, chiropractic adjustments are used to re-establish the normal range of motion that exists between two articulating structures (joints). This range of motion may be restricted due to inflammation, muscle or nerve damage around the joint as well as many other factors. Re-establishing the normal range of motion enables the structures involved to function more normally. By helping to bring the body back to more normal function, chiropractic care can be an important adjunct to traditional medicine and can frequently contribute to achieving a higher level of comfort and function in the animal. 1. The foundations of chiropractic philosophy are based on the intimate relationship of the spinal column to the nervous system, as well as the role of the spinal column in biomechanics and movement. Focusing on the relationship between structure (primarily the spine) and function (as coordinated by the nervous system), chiropractic facilitates their relationship, which affects the preservation and restoration of health. 2. If balance can be re-established then the body can more readily contribute to healing itself. For example, if a horse needs a wound sutured closed most owners don’t worry about whether or not the edges of the wound will grow back together. Why? “Because we believe in the body’s innate ability to heal,” explains Dr. Johnson. The same principal is at work in chiropractic. A balanced body can better heal itself. 3. The main goal of chiropractic work is to optimize health. Chiropractic is, by no means, a replacement for veterinary care. Regular adjustments to an animal help the body take care of itself. When health is optimized, medications can be even more effective. The guiding principal of chiropractic is the body’s innate recuperative power which is affected by and integrated through the nervous system.
First Hand Evidence Dr. Johnson has seen evidence firsthand of how being out of balance can aggravate and even create lameness as a result of bad biomechanics. For example, the navicular bone sits in the bottom of the foot behind the coffin bone. The deep digital flexor tendon attaches to the back of the coffin bone and goes around the back of the navicular bone. If the horse stands with his legs more underneath him than normal, then there is increased tension on the deep digital flexor tendon. This leads to increased pressure on the navicular bone as a result of being displaced forward into/onto the coffin bone. Chiropractic adjustment of the spine and leg to re-establish normal range of motion in these structures can improve the biomechanics of the horse’s stance and relieve this pressure on the navicular bone and thereby contribute to a reduction in pain originating from the navicular area. Chiropractic care offers an exciting addition to the care and maintenance of our equine and canine friends. Because chiropractic is an effort to affect the nervous system, Dr. Johnson emphasizes that it is essential that the practitioner be well trained in the theory and practice of chiropractic. Dr. Johnson cautions that someone without proper training has the potential to injure an animal through inadequate knowledge of anatomical details and/or lack of understanding of the force used in the adjustments. While the bulk of her practice has been doing shockwave on a referral basis, Dr. Johnson has been interested in doing chiropractic work for nearly 10 years. She knows the importance of education and hands-on training and spent more than 200 hours working toward her degree. The program she completed is recognized by both The American Veterinary Chiropractic Association (AVCA) and the International Veterinary Chiropractic Association (IVCA). Dr. Johnson personally performs all treatments and never delegates to a technician. Consequently, clients can be assured that the treatment is being given by a veterinarian with a thorough understanding of anatomy and physiology. Additionally, Dr. Johnson spends a great deal of time researching the latest developments in shockwave therapy and chiropractic care and is in frequent contact with industry experts. This depth of knowledge of the technology and the latest research findings allows Dr. Johnson to be aware of nuances and subtleties in performing shockwave therapy and chiropractic that others may not be familiar with. With Oakhill Shockwave, there is no interruption in the continuity of care received from the regular veterinarian. Dr. Johnson works closely with your regular veterinarian so that all facets of your horse’s or pet’s health are included in developing the most appropriate treatment regime. Dr. Johnson has been an active, lifelong competitor in show jumping and understands the mental and physical demands placed on the equine athlete. This is especially important when planning treatment schedules to correlate with competition schedules.
For questions about chiropractic or shockwave therapy please contact Dr. Jenny Johnson at 818-809-7498 or Oakhillshockwave@hotmail.com or visit her website at www.equineshockwave.com. |
