Methods for Rehabbing Horse Joints

There’s not one particular approach for rehabilitating injured joints. Here are a few of the options vets have to use.
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Methods for Rehabbing Horse Joints
Working over ground poles placed in varying patterns and heights can help improve horses' proprioception and joint mobility. | Photo: iStock
Horses have the unique ability to jump fences, piaffe in place, gallop around barrels, and breeze down the backstretch, among other talents. All these activities, however, require healthy joints with a full range of motion. Joint injuries, depending on the severity, can be career-ending.

But in many cases, veterinarians can treat and rehabilitate the injured joint and return the horse back to work. It just takes some time, dedication, and a bit of good luck. At the 2016 American Association of Equine Practitioners Convention, held Dec. 3-7 in Orlando, Florida, Steve Adair, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVS, ACVSMR, CERP, reviewed the methods veterinarians can use when rehabilitating equine joint injuries.

There’s not one “shotgun” approach when developing and implementing a rehabilitation plan, said Adair, an associate professor at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine, in Knoxville. There is, however, one thing that every rehab program needs: a dedicated team.

“Rehabilitation is a team approach consisting of the veterinarian, therapist, owner, as well as other professionals,” he said. “All members of the team need to be informed and on board to ensure the best possible outcome

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Erica Larson, former news editor for The Horse, holds a degree in journalism with an external specialty in equine science from Michigan State University in East Lansing. A Massachusetts native, she grew up in the saddle and has dabbled in a variety of disciplines including foxhunting, saddle seat, and mounted games. Currently, Erica competes in eventing with her OTTB, Dorado.

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