Cooling horse's legs effectively
We are committed to expanding the services that we offer and when it comes to preventing and managing soft tissue injuries and cooling lower legs it can be difficult to know which methods and machines to use.
After years of looking and reading research, we have finally found one that we are happy to put our name to and so we are now offering the use of our own compression cryotherapy unit to treat low limb injuries.
How do cold compression boots work
Our new compression cryotherapy bandages are attached to a battery powered unit which has an inbuilt large insulated reservoir to hold iced water (at less than 6°C) and a pump. The amount of pressure and compression as well as the treatment time can all be controlled.
The ice water is continually circulated through the leg wraps, and the compression cycle squeezes and releases the pressure inside the bandages providing far greater anti-inflammatory effects and helps to reduce swelling.
These units have orginally been developed for, and been used extensively for post-operative care of people after knee surgery and replacements, ankle or Achilles injuries, shoulder surgery, muscle tears etc to reduce swelling, reduce pain and improve healing quality and reduce recovery times.
What can cold compression therapy be used for?
We can use it for reducing the swelling after surgery, reducing the swelling and inflammation in legs after tendon or ligament injuries, and treating joint injuries/synovitis.
There are also competition and racing yards that use these on a preventative basis after horses have been galloped, raced or after cross country.
We have all seen rugby players and athletes jumping into ice baths to reduce injury risks and cool down tendons and muscles… this unit does the same for the flexor tendons both as a routine prevention and also during the stages of rehabilitation.
What benefits does it have compared to other methods?
Cold hosing and ‘icing’ legs has been a mainstay of treating leg injuries for years. There are several limitations to all of the easily available options.
- Cold hosing doesn’t get the leg cold enough (unless it is a very cold winters day!) and some horses don’t like hosepipes!
- Ice wraps tend to have localised cold spots, then the ice melts and they don’t then remain cold enough
- Clay and gel products aren’t cold enough, and can cause skin reactions especially if there are any cuts or abrasions… and they are very messy to clean off!
- Many cool boots end up acting as insulators as they warm up rather than continued cooling
- Most cold boots need to be re-frozen each time between use/horses. This unit can keep on treating several horses one after the other.
And none of them offer the benefits of both compression and continued fresh cooling at less than six degrees.
How can I book?
If you are currently rehabbing a horse with a soft tissue injury then get in touch to see how we can support you, or if you would like to know more about a preventative plan, call us to discuss your requirements on 01577 841010.
