Complementary Therapies

Equine Physical & Bodywork Therapies

We are lucky in Veterinary Medicine in that in addition to Traditional Veterinary Medical & Surgical treatments, we have an array of COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES in our toolkit.

Using the power of light, sound, physical & manual therapy, we can vastly influence traditional treatments to not only increase rate of healing but provide therapies to use on an ongoing basis to prevent injury and maintain performance.

In all cases of equine problems, a Veterinary Clinical Examination is required in order to provide a Diagnosis. No treatment of any sort, whether veterinary or complementary, should be applied to any animal without a Veterinary Diagnosis, made by the qualified Veterinarian, of a problem and tissues/structures/organs involved.

TLT is an amazing addition to our therapeutic toolkit! Using the power of LIGHT to have positive effects on tissue metabolism, we can dramatically INCREASE RATE OF HEALING in strained, torn or injured tissues.

As well as hastening healing, prevention of re-injury is the ultimate goal - we want to achieve tissue healing that is as strong as the original tissue.

TLT can be used for acute or chronic injury and pain relief and is a reliable component of our rehabilitation protocols. These portable units can be taken and used anywhere - in the float yard at competition, in the stable or paddock at home - TLT is noninvasive, requires no sedation, no clipping and is fast and very well accepted by every horse we treat. In fact, we use TLT on just about every case we see, on a daily basis - such is the versatility of this therapy.

TLT is also used for wounds and infected tissue. Research has shown that the Blue light is bacteriocidal - i.e. kills bacteria. So any wound we see is a wound we can treat with TLT to assist in wound healing.

When we perform a Sport Horse Therapy Consult we can combine therapies in our toolkit. For example we may examine a horse and determine that the animal will benefit from both TLT and Myofascial Tissue Release Therapy.

Therapeutic Laser Therapy (TLT)

Myofascial Tissue Release

Fascia is a interconnected web of connective tissue that lays in a 3-dimensional network throughout the tissues within the mammalian body. Not only does fascia surround all the body tissues - organs, muscles, ligaments, tendons, bone, nerves and blood vessels- it is an integral component of these tissues. Fascia gives form and shape to the body.

The function of fascia is to change shape in response to specific tissue needs - provide tissue strength, complicated tissue movement or distribute tissue strain. Depending on what tissue is involved, fascia needs to be able to twist, bend, elongate, compress or take on shearing forces. Fascia also needs to then be able to return to its original form.

Stress, strain, repetitive pressure and injury can all cause fascial disruption resulting in adhesions, restriction of motion and scar tissue. Fascial release work can remove these adhesions - freshening and rehydrating body tissues.

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