Sacroiliac rehab - all ideas welcome for definitive thread

B

BeckyD

Well-Known Member
Joined
13 September 2004
Messages
4,213
Location
Milton Keynes
Visit site
I've found several different posts with info on sacroiliac rehabilitation, but thought people may find it useful to have a thread with all ideas in one place. If people agree with this, please would you post your experiences and thoughts below?
 
I have experience both with an acute and chronic sacroiliac ligament strain.

For the acute injury: steroid injection and tildren were prescribed along with 2 weeks box rest/limited turnout (if horse would be sensible - as if). We are on week 2 of the box rest so not much more to say except that will be following exercise routine described below (if he ever comes back into work - thought by vet unlikely at this stage).

For the chronic injury, lunging twice a week, once over poles, to keep topline up. Schooling twice a week in an outline and concentrating on working the horse long and low. Hacking out once a week, mainly walking up and down hills (which he struggles with) to keep topline up as much as possible.

Also, ensure saddle is checked very regularly and I have 3 monthly appointments with either a chiropractor or a physio. I also do a lot of stretching exercises (every day if possible for about 5 mins) to try and release tension in the poll due to unlevel hips.

The key thing is to work within the horse's capabilities - sometimes he needs more time off, but generally try to give as much t/o as possible to keep the bad leg moving and try to exercise every other day (although sometimes ride up to 4 days in a row if only gentle schooling). I no longer jump my horse though as felt it was too uch strain on the ligament.

This horse is managed without steroid injections, but is fed fenugreek for muscle development (he drops topline very quickly if out of work for more than a week, a joint supplement to help minimise any impact of joints and also devils claw to help with muscle and also mild pain relief.
 
My old TB ex-racer had long-standing sacroiliac damage from his racing days which wasn’t diagnosed till I’d had him 3 years. He had three months’ field rest and then spent a week at a therapy yard having electromagnetic treatment. He was sent home with a list of daily exercises that I had to do for 6 months.

The exercises involved weeks of handwalking over poles, both in standard grid formation and with alternate ends raised, figures of eight over poles, reinbacks over poles – every day he and 1 stepped over poles about 400 times. No kidding. I then progressed to lungeing over poles at varying distances, again with raised ends so he was stepping high.

During the whole period I was also lifting each hind leg and rotating it 10 times in both directions – he was 16.3 and it was absolutely knackering!

At the end of the 6 months he was deemed rideable but I more or less retired him shortly afterwards as I could never be sure he wasn’t in pain – and he was 14 with a hard-working early life behind him so it wasn’t a very hard decision.
 
Great Idea RonToo, as when I was looking around for advice there seemed little about, but as time has passed there has been more and more cases I've noticed. Not sure if I would describle my mares as chronic or acute? Severe would be my word for it- anyway, she did it one night in the field, could not walk the next day accompanied with pain-induced colic, also accompanied by severe muscle damage on both sides on back from withers to sacroiliac. Vet did not notice it on first visit as she was in so much pain she had her back arched like a cat, but Mctimothy practitioner saw it and vet then diagnosed. She has injections in both ligaments with the irritant that promoted scar tissue development (not sure what its called) strictly no box rest, long reining everyday in walk, within a month progression on to trot (Physio every week, then every two weeks). After 2-2 1/2 months begin to sit on again, with bute (under vet orders) slowly increase work load. Stricly NO hills for first few months (a struggle!). All care to be taken to avoid horse slipping in anyway as this could delay or prevent any recovery. Now fit and sound (though really she was never 'lame' vet described it as looking as though she has a broom up her bum!). Gets odd 'stiff hind leg' days if shes been silly in field. Have permission to begin to jump, but am in no rush. Vet and physion both strictly say must have daily turnout, as muscles that are supporting the joint will soften, however this is not entirely possible at the moment, but she is ridden everyday- so far so good. Regular saddle checks (its been every month recently due to shape change- she is rising 5 btw) and weekly, now every 2-3 months physio.
 
i bought my horse 2 years ago and after 3 months of owning him he went lame on the right hind and his pelvis had dropped to one side. after many vet examinations a scintigraphy scan showed he had badly damaged the right side of the sacro illiac joint. My horse had all the box rest and the hand walking that was advised and the course of injections which he did improve but would still be short on the right hind. i chose to turn him away for a year to see if this would help.
I slowly bought him back into work last june. It was brilliant, i was so happy that my horse had completely changed behind, he wasnt walking completly level behind but i know that he wont be 100% because of the injury. ive had a fab back person who has been working closely with my horse and gave me the all clear to start light schooling again. Which i started last monday, but since then ive noticed a change in his gate behind, hes looking short again and i dnt no whether this is because of the schooling. i bought this horse to compete in dressage and i dnt no if there is anything else i can do to help him. both vet and physio have said there is no pain related. if anyone else has been through this or similar and could help me of ways to improve my horse then please message bck.
 
Well, I'm an interloper at the moment... Don't know for sure which bit of the Dizzy One it is, but she's done something in the field. She's at Newmarket as I type. I'll write something sensible tomorrow when I know more.

C.x
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top