:: By Barbara N. Klatt

The Instructor, the Student and the Physical Therapist

...continued

Barbara: First, educate me on just what Physical Therapy is all about.

Robyn: Physical Therapy is currently a Masters level program with education and training that includes anatomy, bio-mechanics, kinesiology, therapeutic exercise, and physiology. The P.T. utilizes physical agents of heat, cold, light, sound and electrical stimulation to promote tissue healing and facilitate recovery of soft tissue injury, decrease pain and eliminate dysfunction. In addition, the P.T. is a specialist in therapeutic exercise, neuromuscular re-education and manual therapy, which includes massage, soft tissue mobilization; trigger point therapy and myofascial release.

Barbara: We look for ways to ensure our riders’ success as we try to fulfill their needs as a student. One way is to encourage our riders to be fit and flexible. As you well know, it’s hard to get away from the constant reminders on TV to strengthen our ‘core muscles.” In today’s world of alternative therapies, exercise videos/DVDs, at home fitness machines, personal trainers, etc. how do they know which will work best for them?

Robyn: There are virtually hundreds of exercises that can be utilized to address strength, flexibility, and balance. They can’t do them all. And what if there has been a past injury? Are there exercises they shouldn’t do? An exercise poorly prescribed and performed is not only ineffective but can impede your rider’s goal of fitness and may actually cause harm! When you enroll in an exercise class, watch a DVD or hire a personal trainer, what is the first recommendation always given?

Barbara: Always check this out with your doctor before beginning a new exercise routine.

Robyn: Right! And that is sound advice if you have severe uncontrolled medical issues, but it is usually a liability disclaimer. However, anyone may have underlying medical and physical issues that should be taken into consideration. That is where the physical therapist comes in. 

In 42 states, the physical therapist has direct access – meaning the client does not need a physician referral to initiate an evaluation. In these 42 states, a P.T. may see a client who presents with a problem – usually related to pain. In the case of wellness/fitness/personal training, this allows the physical therapist to proceed with a comprehensive musculo-skeletal assessment, establish a plan and treat the impairments identified.

To develop an effective exercise program, it’s necessary to assess postural faults, skeletal alignment, muscle imbalance, soft tissue/fascial restriction, and joint integrity as well as body awareness and movement strategies. Once that is accomplished, appropriate exercises can be prescribed based on those findings. I believe, that of all the alternative practitioners available, the physical therapist is best suited to address these issues.

Barbara: OK – but how does that connect me as an instructor, to you as a P.T., with my student somewhere in the middle?

Robyn: For the equestrian, all of the assessments I just mentioned must first be accomplished unmounted and then integrated into their riding. Consultation with the riding instructor/trainer is without question, paramount! I would start with the musculo skeletal assessment – top of head to bottom of feet! Let’s consider your rider’s posture – as you have told me many times, a rider’s posture on the ground is usually carried to the back of their horse. 

Barbara: Right – and so we are constantly telling our riders to stretch up, breathe, open their chests, close their shoulders, soften their elbows, stack their vertebrae – need I go on?

Robyn: Postural alignment is a critical physical component of riding excellence. It underlies everything the rider does from application of the aids to physically influencing the horse’s own flexibility. But before mounted posture can be correct, normal unmounted posture must exist. 

As riders, we work hard at stretching and strengthening as directed by our instructors…but the faults persist. There’s usually nothing wrong with the exercises you are giving us, it just doesn’t affect the soft tissue problem holding our body in a particular position, or limiting motion in a particular direction.

Let’s go back to the importance of core stability we hear so much about these days – particularly in relationship with Pilates. Core stability is very important to riding. It is critical to maintaining balance and dissociating the use of the limbs to apply the seat, leg and rein aids. However, it is a difficult concept to learn without one on one direction. Do you really know how to initiate the transverse abdominis? Maintain a neutral spine?

Barbara: My what? Do we need to know these things to do Yoga? Or, how about just taking up jogging or running?

Robyn: Some yoga poses will accentuate the very problem your student is trying to resolve. And the runner may have foot alignment issues that will cause significant problems later on for knees and hips! There are many great exercise programs and everyone can find something to fit their needs. The key is to find out what those needs are first! 

I work with the instructor and the rider. It’s a team approach. The instructor shares which postural challenges the rider is having in the saddle. The rider completes a total body assessment. As the P.T., I can comprehensively evaluate/assess the body from head to foot and establish a plan that can include treatment to areas of dysfunction and a specific individualized exercise program. Once they are physically assessed and have a sound base in body awareness and alignment, the rider can then followed the prescribed exercise program, to develop their fitness, flexibility and balance, effectively and safely.

So, there you have it – a new and unique resource for instructors to add to their bag of tricks. Interested in learning more? Want to see a body assessment in progress? Have a question for Robyn regarding a student’s particular never-seeming-to-change postural habit? Join us during our workshop at the International Conference being held at the Horse Park in Lexington, KY this year. We will introduce you to more information regarding incorporating this new resource into your lesson program. Come find out how your can “Bring your Physical Therapist into Your Riding Arena!”

About the Authors: Barbara currently teaches at Bookmark Farms just east of Columbus, OH. She is an active CI and Site Visitor. Barbara was awarded Clinic Instructor of the year in 2004. Robin is a Physical Therapist, a Certified Equine Massage Therapist and actively incorporates various bodywork techniques into her work with clients, some of those include Pilates, Basic Yoga, Massage Therapy, etc.

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