Splints & shockwave

[LegOn]

Has anyone had any success with Shockwave treatment for a splint?

My horse threw a massive splint, thankfully he was completely sound from day one, appears to have done it hooning in the field!!! I had the vet out straight away, he was xrayed and thankfully no other damage, just the splint and it was still visibly fizzy and soft looking on the xray so they told me about shockwave and they have had huge successes with it - vet has used it to get rid of one that was golf ball sized!

I am very lucky and delighted he is sound but we also do showing, which I don't do very seriously but I was shocked at how upset I was at not being able to do showing anymore, so I went ahead and started the treatment.

Treatments are 10 days apart, vet said minimum of 3, max 6 - we are 4 treatments in, there has been some reduction but its still really noticeable. As I said, he is sound, vet said to work away with him but no fast work (galloping) or jumping which we have been sticking to. I am running out of funds as its quite expensive but I can do the next 2 to bring me to 6, but I was happy to go for it if it meant it would be gone & I'm getting a bit disheartened Has anyone else had any experience?

He was on 5 days of bute and 10 days of Ekyflogel at the start aswell to bring down any other inflammation.

 

[LegOn]

Just realised I posted in the wrong section Meant to be in Vet section!

 

[Goldenstar]

Yes my horse Sky had an unstable splint and we settle it with shockwave it works really well .

 

[LegOn]

Yes my horse Sky had an unstable splint and we settle it with shockwave it works really well .

Oh that's good to hear - and can I ask how many treatments you got to get the results?

 

[Alibear]

From what I understand, the progress with shockwave treatment isn't linear, so things don't gradually get better. You might see nothing then a sudden improvement, or a sudden improvement then nothing for a while. I was also told it could take up to 6 weeks after the last treatment to see the full result as the body needs time to finish reacting/healing to the treatment. I've not seen it used on a splint though, I just used cold therapy for those, and they did improve but didn't completely vanish. Thankfully they don't matter for my classes.

 

[LegOn]

Thanks @Alibear - thats actually really interesting and not something the vet mentioned about it not being linear, so the chances are it will reduce more after the treatment is complete? I've read that results of shockwave for lameness or pain can last for up to or over 6 months so that would make sense that the effects will continue to be active on the splint after the treatments.

Also makes me feel more positive it might work! Vet was 100% positive it would but I guess I'm very impatient aswell, I want it gone like now!

 

[Goldenstar]

Oh that's good to hear - and can I ask how many treatments you got to get the results?

I think it was four treatments it reduced visibly from the first treatment .
This splint grows and shrinks at various times I only shockwaved when he felt off .

I would certainly do it again for splint issues

 

[ihatework]

I’d generally only do it for persistent lameness associated with a splint. If sound, for me it’s not worth spending the money on given splints often reduce in size naturally over time.

I don’t know what the stats are for significant size reduction on non lame horses. But if I were a showing person (which I’m not) it might persuade me to investigate.

 

[Leandy]

Splints often fine down or disappear over time in any event. Not sure how you would know whether it is the treatment or not even if the splint does disappear. Personally I wouldn't spend the money on a sound horse.

 

[nikkimariet]

Rooni threw a whopper this time last year. It was sticking out to the same projection as his knee cap… and he become very lame on it.

Surgery was going to be first port of call as sitting right on suspensory branch. But directed to give a month off. I wasn’t happy with how he felt so he had 3 off and then very slowly back into work. I was icing and cold hosing 3 times a day. I forget the name of the anti inflammation gel I was putting on it from the vets but I’ve never stuck more rigidly to a routine lol!

You’d be hard pressed to feel it these days. So worth persevering in any case. Sorry I’ve no experience with your treatment in particular.

 

[ohmissbrittany]

There's a product called Runner's Relief that is really good when applied early doors. But honestly, time is the best, mine had one that looked like a half a lemon on her leg and 3 years on, you can barely tell. What you're doing is paying money to try and speed up the process but bone remodels for YEARS after the original injury.

 

[LegOn]

Definitely I want it gone now!

Thanks a mil for that - I looked it up but very hard to find the ingredients, appears to be Wintergreen which is similar to Comfrey, which is in Splintex Gold - I've started using that because well why not! Shockwave is now finished, I would say its gone down by about a fifth maybe, so fingers crossed it does accelerate the remodeling process.

 

[minesadouble]

Definitely I want it gone now!

Thanks a mil for that - I looked it up but very hard to find the ingredients, appears to be Wintergreen which is similar to Comfrey, which is in Splintex Gold - I've started using that because well why not! Shockwave is now finished, I would say its gone down by about a fifth maybe, so fingers crossed it does accelerate the remodeling process.

I'm halfway through a course of 6 Shockwave treatments myself (me not the horses) and my physio says it continues to improve after Shockwave, achieving peak benefits at 3 months which will last for 6 months.

 

[LegOn]

I'm halfway through a course of 6 Shockwave treatments myself (me not the horses) and my physio says it continues to improve after Shockwave, achieving peak benefits at 3 months which will last for 6 months.

Ohhh thank you for this, thats really good to know! Hope you are feeling better with your treatments