Hassinger Equine Sports Medicine and Imaging Clinic offers a variety of rehabilitative and treatment therapies in a full service, "veterinary supervised" rehabilitation center. Equine patients can receive complete care of their lameness and performance needs in a 24 hour care facility. Patients are evaluated daily in the rehab center and prescribed varying treatments and therapies to expedite their healing and conditioning.
SHOCKWAVE THERAPY
Shockwave therapy is a relatively new method for treating equine lameness. Frequently, horses who have not responded to conventional treatments benefit greatly from shockwave therapy. Common conditions that respond well are: ligament injures, tendon injuries, bone spavin, ringbone, splints, non or delayed union fractures and sore backs. Shockwave has been shown to produce marked analgesia and stimulate bone formation. A key benefit to this therapy is that it is performed on the standing, sedated horse in only a few minutes. Shockwave therapy often significantly reduces lay-up time and improves the quality of the healing tissue.
AQUAPACER UNDERWATER TREADMILL
The AquaPacer, Underwater Treadmill System unties two powerful tools to achieve accelerated conditioning: the natural properties of water and hydrokinetic exercise in a user controlled environment. The natural properties of water: buoyancy, high resistance, hydrostatic pressure and its thermal effect have unparalleled therapeutic benefits that have been utilized for centuries. Hydrokinetic exercise is facilitated by using the horse's own natural movement on a non-slip, solid surface treadmill.
The AquaPacer workout is unparalleled for therapeutic healing and conditioning. Horses and ponies are encouraged to use the same muscles, ligaments and tendons that are employed in traditional land-based exercise but without the stress and trauma.
Therapeutic sessions in the AquaPacer can be fully customized to each horse or pony through variable water heights, variable treadmill speeds and variable water temperatures.
Benefits include: reduced weight bearing, reduced impact on limbs, soft tissue mobilization, modulation and reduction of pain, joint decompression, reduction of friction between articulating joints, hydrostatic pressure to assist blood flow and reduce swelling. Resulting in: reduced recovery time by 50-60%, improved healing, improved performance, accelerated conditioning, advanced muscle development, improved cardiovascular fitness, improved range of motion and flexibility, promotes correct posture and a balanced gait, minimizes performance injuries.
COLD/COMPRESSION THERAPY
Cold/Compression therapy is the preferred method for significantly reducing swelling and increasing circulation. Cyclical compression, applied to an injured site actively reduces swelling by pushing the fluid that has accumulated in the damaged tissue (known as edema) into the lymphatic system so that the horse's body can heal itself more quickly. Cold has long been used for its analgesic effects in acute injuries. Cold/compression therapy is especially beneficial in maintaining healthy tendons and ligaments post-exercise.
ELECTROTHERAPY
Transcutaneous Electrical Neural Stimulation (TENS) is used to stimulate sensory nerves to block pain signals by stimulating endorphin production to help normalize sympathetic function. Common uses: Acute and chronic pain, back and cervical muscular and disc syndromes, RSD, arthritis, shoulder syndromes, neuropathies, and many other painful conditions.
Electronic Muscle Stimulation (EMS) is characterized by a low volt stimulation targeted to stimulate motor nerves to cause a muscle contraction. Contraction/relaxation of muscles has been found to effectively treat a variety of musculoskeletal and vascular conditions. MS differs from TENS in that it is designed to stimulate muscle motor nerves, while TENS is designed to stimulate sensory nerve endings to help decrease pain. Common uses: Prevent or retard disuse atrophy, strengthening programs, reeducate muscles, post-op orthopedic surgery, joint replacement, gait training, shoulder subluxation and reduction of muscle spasms.
Interferential Stimulation (IS) This type of stimulation is characterized by the crossing of two electrical medium, independent frequencies that work together to effectively stimulate large impulse fibers. These frequencies interfere with the transmission of pain messages at the spinal cord level. This deep tissue penetration can be adjusted to stimulate parasympathetic nerve fibers for increased blood flow. Interferential Stimulation differs from TENS because it allows a deeper penetration of the tissue with more comfort (compliance) and increased circulation. Common uses: Pre and post-orthopedic surgery, joint injury syndrome, cumulative trauma disorders, increasing circulation and pain control.
Microcurrent (MC) Where TENS is used to hide pain, Microcurrent, because of its close proximity of our own body’s current, is thought to work on a more cellular level. It has been theorized that healthy tissue is the result of the direct flow of electrical current throughout the body. Electrical balance is disrupted when the body is injured at a particular site, causing the electrical current to change course. The use of Microcurrent over the injured site is thought to realign this flow, thus aid in tissue repair. Common uses: speed the healing process, reduce inflammation, masks acute and chronic pain, releases trigger points and improves soft tissue regeneration.
Low-frequency Ultrasound provides a consistent, penetrating heat to affected tissues. Low-frequency ultrasound is helpful to stimulate circulation, relax muscles and relieve muscular pain and discomfort.
THERAPEUTIC MASSAGE THERAPY
Therapeutic Massage Therapy is a hands-on, non-invasive technique long recognized for both physical and mental therapeutic purposes. Skeletal muscle, the system responsible for movement, makes up 60% of a horse’s body; yet, muscles are commonly overlooked in preventative maintenance and injury rehabilitation. Musculoskeletal problems are the most common cause of poor performance in horses. These hands-on techniques have been proven effective in a number of ways, from increasing performance level and stamina, general maintenance, to injury prevention and recovery. They accomplish this by increasing circulation and reducing muscular fatigue, tension and stress, the primary causes of muscular injury.
P3– Electromagnetic Pulse Therapy– replaces missing electrical charges to damaged cells allowing cells to regain their natural electrical charge. This therapy increases circulation, promotes the healing of wounds while minimizing scarring, alleviates muscle soreness, joint stiffness and arthritic symptoms.
Equissage-This deep-tissue massage machine increases circulation, eases and tones muscles, promotes lymphatic drainage and joint mobility.
Stem Cell Therapy-This therapy is particularly beneficial for tendon and ligament injuries that normally heal poorly due to limited tissue growth and blood supply. Stem cells are collected from fat, bone marrow or umbilical cords, and injected into injured areas where they differentiate and generate new tendon sheath tissue. A carefully prescribed program of cross-training helps to accelerate the healing process and align the new tendon sheath cells along the stress line of the tendons.
Stem cell therapies are also beneficial for:
Tendon and Ligament Injuries
Osteoarthritis
Osteochondrosis (OCD)
Sub-Chordral Bone Cysts
Non-Healing Fractures
The Game Ready hot/cold compression system allows the therapist to regulate the amount of compression and temperature applied to a horse's legs. It reduces swelling and discomfort of strained tendons, muscle tears and swelling.
-effective treatment of tendonitis, cellulitis, bowed tendons, wind puffs
