Physical Therapy is Not Just for People Any More….

Who hasn't heard of an athlete undergoing physical therapy after an injury to assist in the healing process? Now equine athletes are benefiting from many of the same techniques used on the people that ride them.

Horses basically walk on their toes. Though they may seem large and imposing, a tendon or ligament injury could end their racing career. At the University of California at Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine, high-pressure pulses of acoustic wave energy, known as extracorporeal shock wave therapy, is being used to speed healing of tendons, ligaments and bones of horses. A similar use of sound waves is used in human medicine to break up kidney stones without surgery.

This shock wave therapy is performed on awake, standing horses. The technique coupled with ultrasonography allows the veterinarian to visualize the site being treated. Dr. Jack Snyder, director of equine lameness and surgery at UC Davis, reports that this is the only unit of its kind in the United States. The rate of healing for soft tissue injuries has been accelerated by as much as 50% in many cases. This therapy can also be used in acute pain relief, thereby avoiding or decreasing the need for pain medications.

In addition to sound wave treatments and other cutting edge advances, veterinarians are better able to ease pain and get horses back on their toes again and this is important because it is "Your Pet…Health Matters.".