To boot, bandage or go bare in exercise - tendon/ligament injury?

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Doublethyme

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OK, my mare is off to the vets next week for another scan on her annular ligament/SDFT injury in the pastern area and everything crossed, I hope she is given a green light for the slow process of introducing her back to work.

I am thoroughly confused as to what is best with regards to support or no support / boots or bandages for her injured leg when I do start her rehab work.

In the past pre-injury I have hardly ever put boots on for hacking, do use polo type bandages for schooling particularly in winter as she gets a bit arthritic and obviously things like Clarendons for jumping (not that we are going to be doing any jumping again
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Trouble is you read so much about tendons heating, boots/bandages not being good, that I am very confused - I just want to do the best for my horse.

Hence the poll !!! I will be asking my vet too, but wanted a bit of an overview of opinions. Plus from the pro support group, some boots/bandage recommendations would be helpful.

Thanks
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Boots and bandages won't stop the tendon being injured again if it is going to. The only thing that can really lessen that chance is making sure your work programme is very long and slow. I loathe SMBs, they heat up far more than they support and are not worth the money (I wouldn't use them if they were free TBH). If you're REALLY paranoid then breathable bandages like those NEW ones would be your best bet, or the Equilibrium wraps, although like I said it won't stop the tendon being damaged again. Brushing boots only protect from brushing so unless your horse does, don't bother!
So I voted bare
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Thank you Silmarillion. Your response is the way I have been wavering and also the way the poll is going, but I am very paranoid
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and so anxious to do the right thing. She's now out in the field without anything, except her Bioflows sometimes and hasn't broken down, so I really think you are right.

I will be spending as long as I possibly can, probably slowing down even any exercise plan my vet gives me, as have no rush to get her back doing anything, except being well for as long as possible.

(mind you ask me again when I am bored whitless walking up a road......!!
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I had this dilemma when my horse split his ddft. When he first went into light work of onlhy walking, I used Equlilibrium boots which go under the fetlock. As time went on and my horse got stronger and fitter, I changed the boots to his bioflow brushing boots, because he brushes. Now he only wears the equilibrium boots when we go on hard ground or there is a chance of some fast work.

The boots were very good to start off rehabilitation, but you do not want the leg to get dependent on the boots.
 
Boots generally don't really offer any form of support or certainly not enough to make any real difference. There is a very interesting article here. So yeah, if you need boots for brushing or knocks then wear what you would normally wear, its more workload that is going to have an impact on her tendon.
 
I cannot answer your poll as I would say boots with extreme protection

You cannot hang the tendon together, but a weakened tendon won't do very well if its knocked or kicked. So I'd buy a pair of Dalmar boots to make sure a knock isn't going to set them back, if money is tight then would consider premier equine or new, but neihter have such a big strike pad.
 
Thanks Cotswold - that actually puts a different perspective on the boot/not to boot question and one I appreciate and will definitely put into consideration.

I saw those Dalmar boots on their website - they are certainly extreme protection - couldn't see how much they cost they - probably don't want to!!!
 
Hi,

I had this very discussion with my vet a few days ago as it has just been agreed for my horse to come back into ridden walk working.

My horse has injury to DDFT and collateral ligaments of coffin joint. My vet said that no boots will prevent the tendon getting injured and the thicker boots that we would all want to use (to give the most protection), can actually cause problems through heating the tendon.

His opinion was that the only thing they could possibly protect would be impact injuries and this would be more likely during fast work etc. So I wont be using boots at the moment.

So I vote for non until you need them for a particular disipline or if you need them for brushing etc.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Hi,

I had this very discussion with my vet a few days ago as it has just been agreed for my horse to come back into ridden walk working.

My horse has injury to DDFT and collateral ligaments of coffin joint. My vet said that no boots will prevent the tendon getting injured and the thicker boots that we would all want to use (to give the most protection), can actually cause problems through heating the tendon.

His opinion was that the only thing they could possibly protect would be impact injuries and this would be more likely during fast work etc. So I wont be using boots at the moment.

So I vote for non until you need them for a particular disipline or if you need them for brushing etc.

[/ QUOTE ]
... I love your vet, I wish more were as sensible and pragmatic about it!!
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my Arab mare is recovering from a bad superficial tendon injury in front (2.5cm tear). Had the same discussion with the vet. For the first 4-5 weeks I bandged in the stall only and it noticeably helped with inflammation. There were days I left them off as I was worried about her skin (she’s grey) but you could see it was more swollen on those days. But when walking out 100% without anything is better, vet told me the thing is if you boot it it makes it harder for them to recover in the long run the tendon needs to learn to work as it’s meant to naturally - with nothing -and anyway he said there’s no proof that They help support anyway - only heats the up - any support is mostly physiologically! Best is to rehabilitate very slowly and consistently. She had her scan at two months and the vet couldn’t believe how quickly she’s recovered there was almost nothing on the ultra scan. Anyway We’re on week 16 walking now under saddle I’ve just started using brushing boots just incase she starts jogging and knocks it, by hand wasn’t a problem she’s chilled ! - in sum , they need time to get strong naturally again and it takes time not boots or bandages !
 
I had read a study showing bandaged/booted/un-bandaged legs during rest and exercise and the temperature difference within the leg/tendons, for each leg ‘dressing’.
The study highlighted that when high heat is prolonged through exercise cells begin to die, so the overall uptake from the study was that bare legs are best, as many covering types cause a much higher heat level within the leg, thus higher risk of cell death - which, if you’re trying to rehab a tendon, the last thing you want, is more cellular damage/death.

Ive just tried googling that specific study but cant find it off the bat, but found an article citing other studies relating to the same subject:

https://www.equilibriumproducts.com/wellbeing/breathability-is-best/

Leg protection seems to have become high tech these days so perhaps there are new protective boots while allowing heat displacement out there?
I dont personally agree the product offered on the website quoting the studies is a good idea as its still a full wrap, and if human rainjackets which we wear loose, claim to be breathable, but never are dont actually work -work in them and youll be sweaty within....whatever material its made of, ive tried so many. I highly doubt a horse with internal temp of 40 degrees + is going to dissipate heat quick enough by being fully wrapped in anything.

Are there boots which protect the tendon you want to protect from external kicks...but also just strap together so theres a huge area of leg uncovered for heat to dissipate.

If youre sticking with walking for weeks short sessions you wont have such a huge hike in temperature within the tendon. Due to them being so vital structurally, the rehab needs to be slow and steady for a good while....its not a process any product out there can enable us to bypass....and the truth is many leg ‘protection’ products can cause more damage than good due to the high temperature issues within the leg causing cellular damage/death.
 
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