Tendon injury

[theorangeconnemara]

Hi all, my horse has had a tendon injury and after surgery was left with a lot of scar tissue, which still affects his mobility. Has anyone else had a similar experience or any idea of how i could ease/eliminate the pain or scar tissue? Thank you in advance x

 

[PurBee]

I would try aloe vera as it heals the deeper layers of the dermis rather than just the top layer of skin. Human scarring ive used it on with success.

 

[theorangeconnemara]

I would try aloe vera as it heals the deeper layers of the dermis rather than just the top layer of skin. Human scarring ive used it on with success.

Thank you I'll definitely give that a try!

 

[Errin Paddywack]

Coconut oil is good too.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Scar tissue on the skin or within the tendon?

 

[theorangeconnemara]

Scar tissue on the skin or within the tendon?

It is within the tendon, thanks

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Time then. You won't break it down, you wont make it more flexible but you can strengthen it. With time.

How much scar tissue is there? There will 9/10 always be a bow in the tendon but this will reduce over a year or two whilst everything settles.

When you bring your horse back into work do it slowly. Give the tendon time to adjust to the fact that it can't stretch like it used to. You will get heat and a little swelling, this is normal. Excess amounts isn't good but a little means the blood is getting to the damaged area and trying to fix it.

My big grey horse did a 100% rupture of his SDFT. 5% of the tendon reconnected with itself in random places which was enough to for a base for the scar tissue. His leg is 95% scar tissue. He has been a successful show horse. But he will never galop along a beach, jump big fences or the likes again in his lifetime. Not that he is bothered! The only thing he has trouble with is putting his foot up on the farriers pyramid thingy so he gets it flipped on it's side and gets to use the shetland height part of it!

How fresh is the injury? Was it just an internal tear or was it severed through the skin? Was the surgery to put in platelets/plasma or to flush and repair a wound? In the long run your horse will be fine but restricted in what they can do. Once they have adjusted to things they will find life less diffiulcult and frustrating.

 

[PurBee]

Oh, if its tendon scarring then i doubt aloe vera will go that deep, but will help the skin layers heal.

Collagen, however, is great for tendon repair.

 

[theorangeconnemara]

Time then. You won't break it down, you wont make it more flexible but you can strengthen it. With time.

How much scar tissue is there? There will 9/10 always be a bow in the tendon but this will reduce over a year or two whilst everything settles.

When you bring your horse back into work do it slowly. Give the tendon time to adjust to the fact that it can't stretch like it used to. You will get heat and a little swelling, this is normal. Excess amounts isn't good but a little means the blood is getting to the damaged area and trying to fix it.

My big grey horse did a 100% rupture of his SDFT. 5% of the tendon reconnected with itself in random places which was enough to for a base for the scar tissue. His leg is 95% scar tissue. He has been a successful show horse. But he will never galop along a beach, jump big fences or the likes again in his lifetime. Not that he is bothered! The only thing he has trouble with is putting his foot up on the farriers pyramid thingy so he gets it flipped on it's side and gets to use the shetland height part of it!

How fresh is the injury? Was it just an internal tear or was it severed through the skin? Was the surgery to put in platelets/plasma or to flush and repair a wound? In the long run your horse will be fine but restricted in what they can do. Once they have adjusted to things they will find life less diffiulcult and frustrating.

Thank you for your advice, he did it a few years ago and is largely sound but can be intermittently lame and unsteady on his legs when going down hill or on rough ground. He almost trips like hes twisting his ankle and has occasionally fallen over, which is obviously concerning! it was only internal, i think they put in platelets from memory. Thank again

 

[horselover11]

Have you discussed shockwave with your vet? Shockwave is a non-evasive, non-electrical high energy sound wave that passes through the body via a hand-held probe. The shock waves works by producing a rapid increase in blood circulation to the target area (e.g tendon) and will break down scar tissue which builds up over time. The break-down of scar tissue is why shock wave therapy can be effective.

Unlike normal elasticated tissue, scar tissue is non-elastic and will prevent normal movement and function, thereby weakening the unaffected tissue surrounding it, often causing further damage and pain.

By using the shock wave to increase circulation and breaking-down scar tissue, it is possible to stimulate some cell regeneration and promote normal healing and rapid reduction of pain.