Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy
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Extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) is a method of sending acoustic or pressure waves into tissue to promote healing of chronic lameness issues.
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he exact mechanisms by which it works are unclear, but it has been shown to increase blood flow and new vessel formation, and change inflammatory chemicals in the injured area. It is used to speed healing of tendons and ligaments, reduce lameness in horses with osteoarthritis of the hock (bone spavin) and pastern and reduce lameness in horses with navicular syndrome. It can speed up wound healing and reduce scar tissue on chronic wounds. It is also being used on trigger points for local muscle pain and for chronic back pain, and can be used to stimulate specific acupuncture points.
It is showing promise in treating angular limb deformities in foals. There are two different devices used to produce the pressure waves an ESW machine and a radial pressure unit. They have different penetration depths and different waveform characteristics, and some conditions respond better to a specific device. The machines can produce a temporary analgesia, or pain relief for up to 2 days after treatment which is independent of the healing process. It is important that the horse is not exercised excessively during this time of decreased pain perception to avoid re injury. Generally a horse is treated 3-5 times with a rest period of 7 to 10 days between treatments. For chronic conditions, the horse Dr. Britt Mills, DVM may need to be treated on a maintenance Offering an Integrative basis every 4 to 8 and Complementary weeks. Approach to the The treatments Treatment of Horses are not painful but and Small Animals. they can be mildly
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uncomfortable especially on the lower limbs, and most horses are sedated for treatment. Side effects are minimal, and if the injured area was swollen, owners report that the swelling goes down quite quickly after shock wave treatment. This technology is becoming more popular with horse owners because it offers a drug-free way to help horses that have been injured or have chronic lameness issues return to better function.
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