ENGLISH TEXTS
FEEL
GOOD
� PAGE 41
Alternative medicine is booming among humans, drawing its roots from practices that are often ancestral and natural, and positioning itself as a complement to conventional medicine- hence the term“ alternative,” also known as complementary or holistic medicine. The World Health Organization( WHO) lists over 400 such practices and officially recognizes four: acupuncture, homeopathy, mesotherapy, and osteopathy.
Praised by some, scientifically controversial to others, these therapies continue to stir debate but are undeniably taking hold in an evolving medical landscape. They have demonstrated effectiveness and offer an alternative to standard treatment protocols. Their relatively recent emergence reflects a deeper societal shift driven by a search for meaning and helps fill the gap left by medical deserts. They resonate widely on social media, answer a growing demand for well-being, or even better-being, and reflect a desire to return to more natural approaches. As a result, they are taking center stage in both amateur and professional sports
programs, for physical preparation, recovery, relief from physical and mental trauma, and the pursuit of excellence. One of the earliest catalysts was the sight of Michael Phelps’ back covered in purple circular marks at the 2016 Rio Olympics, cupping therapy being a practice also embraced by footballer Karim Benzema. Once considered fringe, these“ gentle” therapies have become recognized tools for performance and now feature prominently in elite competitions. At the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, for example, cryotherapy continued to gain popularity, while osteopathy and kinesiology became fully integrated into official medical teams.
But if alternative medicine is now a common, and acknowledged, part of our daily lives and those of elite athletes, what about equine athletes, who are also subjected to extremely intense physical demands in horse racing? The question is all the more relevant in the current context of breezes for two-year-olds, debut races for young horses both flat and over the jumps, the upcoming Classic season, and yearling sales just around the corner. In October 2021, the French Veterinary Council officially recognized three forms of alternative veterinary medicine as valid complements to traditional allopathic care: physiotherapy and functional reha- bilitation, osteopathy, and phytotherapy. It is on this foundation that we offer a non-exhaustive overview of some of these practices, meeting with a few of the professionals who bring them to life.
� PAGE 42
ALIX NEYRAND
BACK TO THE ARTICLE �
By Mégane Martins
Passionate about her work as a veterinarian, Alix Neyrand is open to all types of medicine to support the equine athlete. Her priority is to be able to approach each case with the appropriate method, which is why she trained in acupuncture- highly effective in the field of gynecology.
Galorama. What is your view of alternative medicine?
Alix Neyrand. I have a very positive view of alternative medicine. I am an equine veterinarian specialized in gynecology, and I trained in acupuncture following certain failures I couldn’ t explain through veterinary reasoning. I saw that, in human medicine, acupuncture could be effective in some cases of subfertility, so I trained in this alternative medicine, which I now use successfully in certain gy-
# 8 144