|
|
 |
|
|
Equine Leg Cooling Therapy
Whether a companion or performer, your horse is an athlete who can easily overheat, even during daily exercise. In addition, when your horse runs, jumps or lands, it puts incredible stress on lower leg tendons, which stretch and contract, supporting tons of impacted force. Your equine friend is at serious risk for sprains, tendon injuries, painful tissue inflammation and sore shins.
A cold therapy product like Extend-A-Cool® Transdermal Cooling System is excellent for both scenarios: for post-exercise cool down and for cooling horse leg therapy—either way, it soothes sprains, soreness and inflammation. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anatomy of a Horse Leg Injury
When a horse experiences a leg injury, here is what happens. The tissue injury triggers a chemical reaction at the cellular level, releasing hormone-like substances known as prostaglandins and histamines into the injured area. Damaged capillaries discharge cellular waste such as water, dissolved electrolytes and proteins, into the surrounding tissue, and the horse's body responds by sending leukocytes or scavenger cells into the area to remove damaged tissue and kill bacteria. Fluid then builds up between cells, causing edema or swelling.
When tendon fibers rupture, the tissue injury results in inflammation, which releases cytokines, which increase blood flow. Cytokines and the metabolites released from tissues are what cause the heat, pain and swelling.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
How Leg Cooling Therapy Works
Leg cooling therapy has been proven effective in addressing these chemical reactions to minimize damage and help your equine athlete heal faster after an injury. Cold therapy works like a local anesthetic to reduce pain and muscle spasms dramatically. Used immediately after injury, it acts as a vasoconstrictor, narrowing the blood vessels to diminish bleeding and minimize swelling, and it slows the conduction rate of sensory receptors, limiting pain messages to the brain.
In addition, cold therapy reduces tissue temperature, thereby lowering the metabolic rate of all cells in the area, both injured and uninjured, which decreases their demand for oxygen, minimizes the onset of tendonitis and accelerates the horse's natural healing process.
To summarize, the process of cold therapy works this way; first, the cold temperature helps to decrease blood flow to the injured area. This reduced blood flow helps minimize swelling and inflammation, dissipate heat and alleviate pain. At the same time, cold therapy slows the metabolism of the tissue surrounding the injury, which helps minimize further damage and speed healing. Used properly, cold therapy can help improve a wide range of muscle, joint and soft tissue injuries.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common Cooling Therapy Options
The most common therapeutic options for using cooling horse leg therapy to reduce pain and trauma:
- Transdermal cooling sheets, which are portable and easy to apply, providing cooling leg therapy anywhere, whether at home or on the road. Because they conform to the horse's leg, they also cool tissues evenly and effectively. These convenient cold therapy sheets, used in conjunction with the supportive mesh wraps, reduce swelling and inflammation, alleviate acute symptoms and relieve discomfort.
- Ice, which is quite effective, has the disadvantage of containing air spaces that prevent uniform cooling. In addition, ice is not always available, and when it is, should not be used for more than 20 minutes to prevent possible pain and nerve damage.
- Running water can cool the skin surface effectively but requires continuous proximity to a water source. This treatment also requires attendance to the horse during the treatment duration. Finally, water treatment applied in a non-paved area can result in muddy conditions.
- Commercial chemical cold packs can actually be colder than
ice. However, they tend to be stiff, which can result in uneven
cooling. In addition, cold pack use may be limited by the fact that
they warm to room temperature in as little as an hour. Furthermore,
they should not be used for more than 20 minutes to prevent possible
pain and nerve damage.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cooling Therapy for Horses: Precautions
Cooling therapy is most effective during the first 48 hours of an injury or inflammation. Clinical tests have shown that when tendon tissues are under strain, heat from the area can rise to 113°F in as little as seven minutes after rigorous training. When heat is sustained for long periods, necrosis and rupture of tendon fibers can result. Cooling the area as soon as possible following a workout can reduce the likelihood of tendon cell necrosis and the need for acute care.
Using cold therapy after a hard workout may also help a horse with chronic conditions, such as weak tendons and ligaments from a past injury. Care needs to be taken, however, whenever ice or chemical cold packs are used on an injured limb. Ice and cold packs applied for too long a duration can damage your horse's skin and underlying tissue.
A product such as Extend-A-Cool® Transdermal Cooling System can help reduce swelling and inflammation, alleviate acute symptoms and relieve discomfort instantly, completely and uniformly.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Additional Reading: Cooling Therapy
"What is Cold Therapy?"
In The Cyberhorse Guide to Horse Health
"Cold Therapy and Ice Bandages"
From the American Association of Equine Practitioners, First Aid / Emergency Care
|
|
|
|
|
