Assessment of Noninvasive Low-Frequency Ultrasound as a Means of Treating Injuries to Suspensory Ligaments in Horses: A Research Paper.

This research paper investigates the use of noninvasive low-frequency ultrasound as a therapeutic technique for treating injuries to suspensory ligaments in horses. The research suggests it may be an effective method, with an 87% success rate among the horses that were treated.

Objective and Method

• The objective of the study was to assess the effectiveness of using noninvasive low-frequency ultrasound therapy on sports horses with injuries to their suspensory ligaments. Low-frequency ultrasound therapy is a noninvasive technique meaning there are no surgical incisions or injections.
• A total of 23 client-owned sports horses from Clinica Equina San Biagio were designated for the study. Throughout the research, the horses were subjected to treatment using an EQ Pro low-frequency therapeutic unit set at 38 kHz.
• The therapeutic process involved massaging the injured ligament using a traditional ultrasound gel while the device’s head was kept in direct contact with the injured area.

Findings

• The results indicated a high success rate, with 20 out of the 23 horses benefitting from the EQ Pro treatment. They successfully returned to competition following a routine <a href="/equine-rehabilitation-guide/" title="rehabilitation program. This is an indicative success rate of 87%.
• On average, treatment duration was only 3.3 ± 0.4 weeks and was reviewed as having a positive outcome using ultrasound assessment at 6.8 ± 1.9 weeks after the treatment. This suggests that not only was the procedure effective, but also fast-acting.
• Among the horses in the study, 65% of them benefited from EQ Pro treatment in just ≤3.3 weeks, further emphasizing the efficacy and speed of this treatment method.

Conclusion and Future Perspectives

• This study concludes that EQ Pro therapy shows promise as an effective form of treatment for horses with suspensory ligament injuries. It is quick, easy to implement in an equine veterinary clinic setting, and does not require sedation of the animals.
• While these results are promising, the researchers suggest that future studies should aim to uncover the exact mechanisms by which this new treatment aids in the healing process of the suspensory ligament injuries in horses.