Tendon Injury
Chartered Physiotherapists have in-depth training and experience of managing tendon and ligament injuries in athletes. Our horses are athletes and deserve to have first class treatment and management of their injury with a bespoke rehab therapy to return them to work. It is not good enough to hope for the best using box rest, general graded return to exercise and time. Vets and Physiotherapist working together as a team will give your horse the best chance of a good recovery. (The video below is a brilliant representation of the complex array of ligaments and tendons in the the horse forelimb. There is a similar array in the hindlimb below the hock. The large interosseous ligament described here is another name for suspensory ligament)
Tendon and ligament injuries take a long time to heal, and there is a reasonably high risk of recurrence unless management of the injury is first class right from the time it occurs. The reasons for this include the facts that tendon tissues have a very poor blood supply, making healing slow, and also that new tendon tissue is not strictly the same tissue as the original and if left to heal on it’s own will be even less elastic and at risk of reinjury.
As ACPAT Veterinary Physiotherapists we use low level laser therapy or pulsed magnetic therapy to promote healing from early on. We also provide therapy techniques to reduce stress on the whole body as it compensates for injury and most importantly a bespoke detailed rehab exercise program designed individually for your horse.
The Physiotherapy rehab program is strictly governed by the severity of the injury, the place of injury, and the current veterinary treatment the horse is receiving. Please email with any questions or to discuss your case.
