Warm moist heat can be used to treat a number of conditions in the equine athlete. This utilization summary from Tempra Technology explains how the Warm Moist Heat – Equine Therapy System can support joints, tendons and ligaments, and muscle tissue, both before and after exercise and during recovery from injury.
Background
Joints. Deep penetrating heat has an analgesic effect, increases circulation to the area and decreases the viscosity of the joint fluid. These benefits can speed the healing of a traumatized joint and improve a chronic one.
Tendons and ligaments. These dense fibrous structures lose tensile strength, extensibility and elasticity after trauma, degeneration or scarring. Heat increases their extensibility and elasticity, and the resulting vasodilation brings in nutrients and oxygen while helping to remove tissue waste and reduce edema.
Muscle tissue. Muscle relaxes and becomes more flexible after the application of therapeutic heat. The analgesic effect decreases pain and allows a muscle in spasm to relax, while increased blood flow supports the healing process.
Prevention
Pre-event warm-up has become an important part of sports medicine, and performance can be increased by 10–15%. Therapeutic heat can play an important part in this warm-up by making specific areas of muscle, joint or tendon more flexible, elastic and extensible, which allows for greater performance and a lower chance of injury.
Treatments
The full document details the recommended number of warm moist heat packs, placement and timing for each case: pre-event, chronic or acute injuries, and post-event treatment of joints, tendons and ligaments, and muscle tissue.
Summary
Until Tempra Technology’s warm moist heat packs were developed, there was no economical, effective and portable way to apply warm moist heat. Veterinarians and equine physical therapists now have a source of therapeutic heat, and only the limits of their current knowledge will limit the number of uses for this product.
Download the full Utilization Summary (PDF)
Source: Illustrated Atlas of Clinical Equine Anatomy and Common Disorders of the Horse, Ronald J. Riegel, D.V.M., Susan E. Hakola, B.S., R.N., C.M.I.