Is Shockwave Therapy good for tendons, or just ligaments?

[kerilli]

I don't know a lot about it, obviously. I have a homebred would-be eventer, very very well bred and absolutely cracking, who has done nothing (never been off the place) and has been diagnosed with "naturally weak tendons" after ultrasonic scans by one of the best equine sports injury vets in the country. because it's her entire tendons that are bad (almost black on scan, like one big lesion) stem-cell therapy won't work, so i'm clutching at straws here... might Shockwave Therapy be any good?
Real long shot... or Firing? I wouldn't ever do it lightly, and she'd have tons of painkillers, but bearing in mind that this little mare is absolutely wasted and bored out of her mind, and can only be a gentle hack for the rest of her life if i don't find something... is there anything that might strengthen her tendons?
Thankyou.

 

[ihatework]

I'm absolutely no expert on shockwave but if the tendons are as bad as you say I think shockwave would probably be clutching at straws and possibly a waste of money. Did your vet advise SWT? Will it be covered on insurance?

My horse is an old pro at SWT now but I think it is more an additional therapy (and not completely proven yet) rather than a standard treatment.

 

[kerilli]

no, vet didn't advise anything. she's not insured.
thanks though... i thought it was clutching at straws.

 

[rubyred]

It sounds as if currently your horses body is not responding to the weak tendons to try and improve their strength. i.e. the condition is chronic. I think any treatment will need to 'kick start' the body into a response (obviously VERY gently).
Firing may do this.
I would also consider therapeutic ultrasound and some controlled exercise constantly monitored with scans.

 

[vicijp]

I wouldnt even contemplate anything but pin firing.
£120.

 

[kerilli]

she is on controlled exercise (light hacking), and is living out, but she's sensible and doesn't whizz around.
my vet didn't suggest threrapeutic ultrasound, and i don't know anything about it.

Firing would be a desperate option, obviously.

 

[dieseldog]

From what people have told me Shockwave Treatment is better on fresh injuries, if they have been around a while it isn't as effective

 

[kerilli]

ah, i didn't know that. thankyou.

 

[henryhorn]

Having seen the mental trauma experienced by a young Tb we had here at livery after it was fired there is no way I would do it, she was so scared of vets' afterwards she ended up being put down as she would attack people when put under stress such as an injection. The pain level was obviously not controlled enough for her and she never trusted humans again.

I wouldn't give up tho, either turn her away for a couple of years or write to the best expert you can find at a vet hospital, they may well be doing clinical trials on something entirely new and are looking for suitable candidates.
I don't know about laser therapy I'm afraid, but having watched some of the demos at equine fairs it may be worth finding out if they think it would help her, it did look very impressive and I'm a cynic about unproven things as a rule.

 

[rubyred]

Theraputic ultrasound will stimulate the tissues within the tendon, breakdown adhesions and help to align fibres and break down cross fibres when used with some work. Its a great help in tendon healing although not often used as rather expensive - need a lot of short sessions. It might help in this case, something to think about anyway

 

[star]

shockwave wont work - it's designed for bony type problems - it has had its best effects with PSD where the problem is in the suspensory ligament just where it joins onto the bone. Vet did suggest trying it for my horse's annular ligament problem but it did nothing. Only really seen success with it for PSD and navicular and some use now with kissing spines.

 

[kerilli]

okay, thanks.