Page 83 - May 2021

VETERINARY VIEWS
A treadmill provides controlled-motion exercises for suspensory injuries, tendon or joint pathology, and can aid a recovering, neurologically compromised horse’s return to function.
HORSE TREADMILL
Biological therapy (stem cells, platelets, and growth factors) is often incorporated in treatment regimens. In many cases, it’s best
to get a horse exercising quickly rather than have him stand around. Even a great surgical correction may fail if rehabilitation is inap- propriately done. A land-based treadmill often has an incline feature, making it especially useful for an injured sport horse. It allows muscle development and strengthening and develops aerobic conditioning without foot or joint concussion or without having to carry a rider’s weight.
An equine treadmill bridges convales- cence through rehabilitation into riding and conditioning. While an underwater treadmill increases buoyancy with nominal limb resis- tance, constant water immersion may cause horse feet to fall apart.
Variable speed and inclines within multiple programs are adjustable for each horse’s capac- ity and cadence to rehabilitate back, sacro- iliac, and lumbar injuries, and to strengthen abdominal muscles following colic surgery. A treadmill provides controlled-motion exercises for suspensory injuries, tendon or joint pathol- ogy, and can aid a recovering, neurologically compromised horse’s return to function. It is invaluable for watching foot fall, determining hoof imbalance, and assessing stiffness. As
a horse moves on the treadmill, it is possible
to assess stride length of individual limbs, straightness, limb placement, extension and flexion, and vertebral and lumbar movement
to tailor an individualized program based on injury type and progress.
Treadmill work doesn’t only address differ- ent muscle groups; it is a total exercise regime for bone, muscle, tendons, ligaments, range of motion and proprioception. A horse lowers its head and neck for balance when moving on an incline; this posture of ‘roundness’ opens verte- bral spaces, lengthens back and neck muscles, strengthens abdominal muscles by contraction, flexes and extends the lumbo-sacral area. Incline work develops collection, neck and back flexion, and conditions the back and hindquarters.
HYPERBARIC OXYGEN THERAPY
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) increases (up to 20-fold) the amount of oxygen dissolved in blood plasma by standing a horse in a pressurized chamber while breathing normally. Any condition with increased edema or decreased blood flow is helped by HBOT as are chronic infections that have not responded to standard medical care. Decreasing edema lessens the distance between tissues, making blood supply and white blood cells more avail- able. This improves both tissue concentrations of antibiotics and a horse’s native immune response. HBOT also facilitates cell uptake of antibiotics such as gentamycin or cephalospo- rins that need oxygen-mediated transport.
Equine practitioners have found HBOT to be rewarding for treating osteomyelitis (bone infection), cellulitis, extensive wounds, hypoxic brain injuries, and following colic surgery of colon torsion with poor intestinal
perfusion. Crush injuries with compromised blood supply are also HBOT candidates to improve capillary development.
The variety of conditions amenable to HBOT treatment includes Clostridial myo- sitis – these bacteria prosper in an anaerobic environment so supersaturating tissues with oxygen by HBOT decreases production of toxins. HBOT is also useful following stem cell treatment of bowed tendons and on suspensory ligament injuries.
HBOT as a therapeutic modality is used as adjunctive treatment and should not be used alone. It is important to work with a veterinar- ian and discuss incorporation of this modality in your horse’s care. Safest and best results are achieved by a veterinarian or certified techni- cian who is trained in HBOT.
THERAPEUTIC ULTRASOUND
Therapeutic ultrasound provides heal-
ing benefits, especially when applied in the “continuous” setting to impart kinetic energy that converts to heat energy in the tis-
sues. Therapeutic ultrasound is unique among heating agents (hot packs, heating pads, topical agents) since it’s mostly absorbed in subdermal tissues (muscle, tendon, ligament, cartilage, bone, and nerve tissue) rather than just skin and subcutaneous fat.
The most effective results are seen in tis- sue with high collagen content that absorbs
a greater amount of energy from ultrasound waves. The heating effect locally dilates blood vessels, reduces pain message transmission, and
While an underwater treadmill increases buoyancy with nominal limb resistance, constant water immersion may cause horse feet to fall apart.
Any condition with increased edema or decreased blood flow is helped by Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, as are chronic infections that have not responded to standard medical care. Decreasing edema lessens the distance between tissues, making blood supply and white blood cells more available.
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