Treatments

The treatment your horse or dog receives will be individually tailored to their specific needs. The information below helps to explain the different treatments which may be included as part of their physiotherapy plan, and the way in which these modalities work to benefit your companion.

Low Level Laser Therapy

Laser therapy treatment for equine and canine patients

Low-level laser therapy emits infra-red light to the area of application and has many different uses.

Laser can be used for:

Reducing the pain and discomfort associated with osteoarthritis and other joint conditions
Improve the rehabilitation of acute soft tissue injuries
Help to reduce muscular pain at areas of hypersensitivity called trigger points
Reduce localised areas of inflammation
Aid the closing of open wounds and reduce scar tissue development

Laser therapy therefore has the ability to; reduce healing time, reduce pain, increase comfort and mobility, reduce muscular tension, and therefore increase performance ability in your horse or dog.

Kinesio Taping

Equine Kinesio Taping using RockTape

Kinesio Tape is a modality developed by Dr. Kenzo Kase, and works principally by lifting the skin away from the underlying soft tissues. This leads to a cascade of benefits for your horse. These include:

Increasing localised blood flow
Reducing soft tissue restrictions, particularly in fascia which can become dehydrated in damaged or painful tissues
Provide support to muscles, tendons and ligaments
Reduce pain, by reducing pressure on pain receptors
Increase comfort and mobility
Reduce a build up of toxins and swelling
Improve recovery time after exercise

RockTape has extra strong adhesive, meaning applications last for prolonged periods of time. This allows its benefits to be carried over multiple days, including throughout exercise.

Application of Kinesio Tape after a physiotherapy session also helps to prolong the effects implemented during the session, and works particularly well alongside massage therapy.

Massage Therapy

Manual masssage therapy for equine and canine

Massage therapy is a manual technique involving the manipulation of muscle tissue and facia. This technique is fundamental in helping to:

Increase localised blood flow to the area
Reduce soft tissue restrictions
Improve hydration of the underlying soft tissues
Reduce pain by helping to break the chronic pain cycle, and reduce compression of pain receptors
Increase comfort and mobility of restricted soft tissues
Reduce a build up of toxins and swelling
Promote relaxation
Improve performance ability

Massage therapy is useful for most if not all physiotherapy cases, as many of our animals experience some kind of compensatory soft tissue pain alongside a predominant condition.

Heat and Cold Therapy

Thermotherapy and Cryotherapy for equine and canine

Heat therapy can be used with many benefits to the horse and dog:

Heat therapy works to:

Relax soft tissues
Increase local blood flow
Increase soft tissue pliability
Increase mobility and performance
Warm up prior to exercise
Reduce localised pain

Cold therapy is alternatively useful for:

Reducing swelling and inflammation
Reducing pain in acute conditions
Reducing excessive blood flow to an area
Helping during the initial phase of wound healing
Improving movement of a joint close to an area of swelling

Ultrasound Therapy

High Frequency Sound Wave Therapy for Horses and Dogs

Ultrasound therapy induces sound waves into the soft tissue causing vibrations and heat to allow therapeutic healing.

This electrotherapy is therefore beneficial to realign soft tissue fibres which have become disorganised, particularly in scar tissue.

Ultrasound therapy is best used for:

Breaking down chronic scar tissue
Aiding tendon and ligament healing in acute and chronic conditions
Speeding up wound healing
Improving the recovery period after a soft tissue injury
Improving the prognosis of soft tissue injuries for getting back to work