Therapy & regeneration and its possibilities for horse, rider and dog

Sufficient exercise is essential for the general well-being and health of the body and mind of humans and animals. However, the risk of injury increases with sporting activity. This starts with the finest muscle fibre tears, which become noticeable as muscle soreness, and extends to sprains, strains and tendon damage. But what can be done in the event of an injury in humans, horses and dogs? And how can it be regenerated and treated?

What are therapy and regeneration?

Therapy and regeneration are often spoken of in conjunction with each other, because the two cannot be separated so easily. Therapy and regeneration go hand in hand in restoring the natural balance of an organism.

Therapy describes treatment that aims to positively influence diseases and injuries. A therapy is always preceded by a diagnosis in order to tailor the treatment method to the complaint and its symptoms. The cause of therapy is usually illness or injury of any kind.

Regeneration involves the renewal or natural restoration of injured or dead tissue. If the body was previously subjected to intense stress, it has an increased need for recovery, also called regeneration. If the stressed body is not allowed to recover, the risk of injury increases.

In order to improve regeneration, the body must be treated accordingly. There are a variety of therapy options.

When should therapeutic measures be taken?

For horses and dogs as well as for humans, sufficient and regular exercise is essential for a healthy organism. Dogs and horses in particular are active animals that by nature have a need for plenty of exercise in the fresh air. Unfortunately, this need cannot always be adequately met, which is why the body is not prepared for abrupt movements, resulting in overload, damage and injury.

Other reasons for an increased need for recreation or therapy are:

• Sports and training injuries
• Insufficient warming up or cooling down and associated muscle fibre tears
• Accidental injuries (macrotrauma), e.g. fall from/with horse, twisting an ankle
• Internal and external stress
• Predisposition to certain sprains (e.g. in the area of the sacroiliac joint)
• Ailments due to one-sided stress, e.g. in dogs due to agility or dog frisbee
• Chronic joint diseases, arthrosis, arthritis
• Tendon and ligament damage
• Bruises, sprains, strains
• Herniated discs, which can occur in humans, dogs and horses

What therapies are available?

The spectrum of therapy options is at least as broad as the clinical pictures and the reasons why therapy is necessary. In this chapter we would like to introduce therapy measures that can be a helpful support for you as a rider, for your horse and your dog on the path to regeneration.

Heat and infrared therapy for horses

Heat or infrared therapy is a form of thermotherapy. Here the body is exposed to heat which penetrates into the deep structures of the tissue and stimulates increased blood circulation there. This stimulates the metabolism, the transport of oxygen and the removal of toxins and harmful substances.

If an injury or tension exists, the blood supply to the affected structures is low, which slows down the transport of nutrients and thus the healing process. Heat and infrared therapy is therefore excellently suited for the regeneration of connective tissue structures, injuries to ligaments, tendons, fasciae and muscles. Heat is also helpful for chronic diseases such as arthrosis, signs of wear and tear, respiratory diseases and chronic joint inflammation.

But not only in case of illness, heat can also be used for vitalisation during training. After sporting activities and physical strain, the structures can be stimulated by heat to recover more quickly.

For heat or infrared therapy, different heat carriers can be used in the treatment:

• Hot towels
• Moor
• Heat lamp
• Heat pads and batteries
• Infrared heating mat
• Infrared light (heating by light energy, e.g. solarium)
• Ceramic particles incorporated into synthetic fibre material that absorb and reflect body heat at the infrared level. The body is warmed in this way

Items with ceramic fibres are very popular in the treatment of muscle tension as well as tendon and ligament damage. There is now a whole range of ceramic products that support the warming effect. We present some of these ceramic products for horses in the guides on therapy boots and therapy rugs.

Cold therapy for horses

Cold therapy or cryotherapy also belongs to thermotherapy, whereby the injured structures are treated with cold. At the moment of treatment, the blood flow is slowed down because the vessels contract and the blood flow is inhibited. For this reason, cold is suitable for the treatment of acute inflammations:

The spread of inflammatory germs is inhibited, the storage of fluid and thus the formation of (painful) oedema is prevented. In addition, the cold numbs, which reduces the sensation of pain. At least 10 minutes are necessary to cool down a structure.

If the cold is removed after the treatment, there is an increased, rapidly increasing blood flow and a reduction in swelling of the inflamed area.

In some cases, cold therapy can also be used for tension and cramps, as the low temperature changes the muscle tone and prolongs the slackening phase of the muscles when exposed for 15 to 20 minutes.

After training, sore muscles and muscle pain can be reduced by cooling the muscles with cold water immediately after exercise. For humans, a cold water bath is suitable, for horses, where especially the legs are stressed, cooling boots are beneficial. There are cooling dog coats for dogs. You can find out more about this in our guide to therapy articles for dogs.

Therefore, the use of cold is recommended for the following ailments:

• Superficial skin lesions
• Injuries, bruises, strains
• Torn muscle fibres
• Oedema
• Bone fractures
• Inflammatory diseases of the musculoskeletal system
• Rheumatism
• Laminitis and inflammation of the navicular
• Urticaria
• Tendon injuries, such as suspensory ligament injuries

There are various possibilities for cold therapy:

• Cold water jet, ice bath, ice pack
• Cold compresses and ice compresses
• Ice granules
• Gel pack
• Cold chamber (-70 to -120°C)
• Ice immersion bath (1-12°C)

What does magnetic field therapy do for horses?

Magnetic field therapies belong to the alternative medical treatment methods and are currently on the rise. In this form of therapy, the body is exposed to electromagnetic impulses. The body cells maintain the microcirculation by charging and discharging. If the body is under stress or has to cope with injuries and inflammations, the microcirculation gets out of balance. For regeneration, the cells have to do more than usual and the body’s own electromagnetic impulses are no longer sufficient.

A magnetic field applied from the outside supports the cells in their work of transporting oxygen and nutrients and disposing of waste such as carbon dioxide and urea. In addition to microcirculation, the magnetic field promotes blood flow because the magnets react with the iron in the red blood cells.

There are two types of magnetic fields: a static and a pulsating one. Whereas in the static variant (permanent) magnets are placed directly on the affected parts of the body, in the pulsating variant the body is exposed to a magnetic field generated by electricity using coils, tubes, magnetic pads and mats.

As a complementary form of therapy or part of holistic treatment, magnetic therapy can be used to:

• Support healing and prevention
• Shorten regeneration processes
• Dissolve circulatory disorders by stimulating blood circulation
• Accelerate delayed wound healing by stimulating lymphatic circulation
• Relieve muscle tension
• Prepare muscles, tendons and joints for exertion
• Prevent stiffness
• Relieve pain from osteoarthritis, rheumatism, back pain, slipped discs and tendon sheath irritation

Magnetic field therapy is not only available from a doctor, orthopaedist or physiotherapist. It is also possible to use it at home or in the stable. Magnetic rugs, magnetic pads and boots, among other things, are available for this purpose.

Compression therapy for filled horse legs

With compression therapy, pressure from the outside acts on the veins, compressing them and thus increasing the venous pressure. The vein valves can open and close more effectively and the passages are not blocked. The blood is transported to the heart faster and without obstacles, and fluids are better removed. If, for example, tissue fluid has accumulated in the legs, this leads to unpleasant tension and a lack of important nutrients in the affected tissue. Compression stockings or bandages provide pain relief and help to dissolve the oedema.

Compression therapy is therefore suitable

• For diseases of the venous system
• For thrombosis prophylaxis
• To relieve pain caused by congestion/oedema
• For varicose veins
• During bed rest/box rest, as this reduces the circulation and inhibits blood flow
• For tendon problems
• After operations and to promote regeneration

In order to exert pressure on the vessels, compression stockings are suitable, which are available for humans as well as for horses in the form of compression bandages. For dogs, compression bandages are more suitable for the limbs, although compression bandages for weak joints can also be found on the market.

Compression works most effectively in conjunction with movement: The muscle is alternately tensed and relaxed during movement and blood circulation is stimulated. With the help of the compression bandage, the veins are kept taut and their valves open and close correctly. The circulating blood can now be transported through the body more quickly and easily.

Physiotherapy for horses

Physiotherapy is a form of treatment that makes use of the body’s natural adaptive mechanisms. Specific training is used to restore, improve or maintain the body’s ability to move and function. If necessary, gymnastics can be supplemented by physical stimuli such as heat, cold, pressure, massage, radiation and electricity. A combination of the forms of therapy already described can be useful.

Unlike osteopathy, physio tends to treat symptoms through active exercises, mobilising the body and relieving pain.

Physiotherapy is suitable for humans, horses and dogs alike. It is also valuable in the regeneration of bone fractures, torn ligaments, tendons and muscles, diseases of the central nervous system (paralysis, stroke, multiple sclerosis) and diseases of the internal organs as well as in prevention.

Osteopathy for horses

Osteopathy focuses on passive, gentle interventions to set the body’s self-healing powers in motion. The patient is considered in its entirety, because body, soul and spirit and their innumerable structures are directly and indirectly connected with each other. Therefore, no individual symptoms are treated, but rather research into the causes is carried out.

If this equilibrium becomes imbalanced, blockages and physical pain arise. External blockages can affect the entire nervous, respiratory, digestive and cardiovascular systems. In osteopathy, these blockages are released so that the organism can find its way back into balance.

Great importance is attached to the fasciae (connective tissue), as they connect all structures that are functionally unrelated (e.g. bones and tendons).

Fasciae transmit changes and ailments that may occur in one place but have their origin elsewhere.

Treating horses with leeches

Many inflammations in joints, muscles and tendons are accompanied by fluid retention and the removal of harmful substances is slowed down. In the course of detoxification of stored waste products, leeches can be true superheroes. This is because these worm-like animals release a saliva secretion with a unique effect when they suck blood. More than 100 substances have been found in their saliva that block inflammation-promoting enzymes, have a blood-clotting, pain-relieving, antispasmodic and antibiotic effect.

Leeches detect the hot spots of inflammation and bite down on them relatively quickly and start their blood-cleansing and detoxifying work. Once they have eaten their fill, they simply let themselves fall off the host.

The advantage of this therapy method is that internal organs are not stressed, making leech therapy particularly suitable for older patients.

It can be used for humans, horses and dogs for:

• Venous diseases, e.g. thromboses
• Cardiovascular diseases
• Joint diseases, e.g. rheumatism, arthrosis
• Lymphatic congestion
• Laminitis
• Muscle problems (hardening, pain)
• Abscesses, oedema, haematoma, cellulitis
• Diseases of the ligament and tendon system
• Wound healing

This form of therapy can also be used as a supplement to conventional medical treatment.