FREE SHIPPING over $40
OVER 9000 FIVE-STAR REVIEWS
5% OFF ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS
100% HAPPINESS GUARANTEE
Analyze Diet
0
Home / Equine Research Bank / Vet Surg / Investigation of the immediate analgesic effects of extracor...
Veterinary surgery : VS2005; 34(6); 554-558; doi: 10.1111/j.1532-950X.2005.00087.x

Investigation of the immediate analgesic effects of extracorporeal shock wave therapy for treatment of navicular disease in horses.

Abstract: To measure the acute analgesic properties of extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) in horses with navicular disease using objective ground reaction forces (GRF). Methods: Prospective study. Methods: Nine client-owned horses with unilateral forelimb lameness caused by navicular disease. Methods: Horses were trotted at 3 m/s over a force plate to record pre-treatment GRF of the lame and contra-lateral forelimbs. After ESWT of the lame limb, applied with a radial unit to each of the frog and heel bulb areas with 1500 pulses at 4 bar and 10 Hz, GRF measurements were repeated at 15 minutes and 24-hour intervals for 7 days. From the 5 trials recorded at each time, peak vertical force (PVF) was calculated and averaged. Data were compared between limbs and over time using a 2-way repeated-measures ANOVA. Results: Mean (+/-SD) PVF was significantly different between lame (day 1; 4339+/-626 N) and contra-lateral (day 1; 5236+/-515 N) limbs pre-treatment (P.05). Conclusions: Single ESWT treatment applied in this manner does not influence lameness in horses with navicular disease. Conclusions: Although many equine regulatory commissions currently ban the use of ESWT before competition, our results suggest that such regulations may be unfounded. Further research is required to determine the long-term analgesic properties of this frequently used treatment modality in equine athletes.
Get Full Text
Publication Date: 2005-12-14 PubMed ID: 16343141DOI: 10.1111/j.1532-950X.2005.00087.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
LinkedInCopy
  • Journal Article
  • Research Support
  • Non-U.S. Gov't

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research conducted attempts to evaluate the immediate pain-relieving effects of a type of therapy, known as extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT), in horses suffering from navicular disease. The results suggest that this type of therapy does not have a significant effect on lameness in horses with this condition.

Research Methodology

  • The research was a prospective study involving nine privately owned horses suffering from unilateral forelimb lameness as a result of navicular disease.
  • The horses were made to trot at a speed of 3 m/s over a force plate to note down the pre-treatment ground reaction forces (GRF) of the lame and non-lame forelimbs.
  • After applying ESWT on the lame limb, the GRF measurements were repeated at 15-minute and 24-hour intervals over a seven-day period.
  • The therapy was applied using a radial unit to each of the frog and heel bulb areas with 1500 pulses at 4 bar and 10 Hz.
  • The peak vertical force (PVF) was determined from five trials at each time and then averaged.
  • These data were compared between the limbs and over time using a two-way repeated-measures ANOVA.

Key Findings

  • A significant difference was found in the PVF between the lame (day 1; 4339+/-626 N) and non-lame (day 1; 5236+/-515 N) limbs prior to treatment.
  • This difference remained the same at 15-minute intervals and from days 1 to 7 after ESWT treatment.
  • To corroborate the diagnosis of navicular disease, palmar digital analgesia considerably lowered the lameness. Nevertheless, there was no significant difference in force between the lame (5144+/- 430 N) and non-lame (5082+/- 586 N) limbs.

Conclusions

  • The study concluded that a single application of ESWT does not measurably impact lameness in horses affected by navicular disease.
  • The researchers also suggested that the existing regulations by many equine regulatory commissions that prohibit the use of ESWT before a race may be unsubstantiated, based on these findings.
  • They concluded that more research is needed to ascertain the long-term pain-relieving properties of this commonly used treatment option in equine athletes.

Cite This Article

APA
Brown KE, Nickels FA, Caron JP, Mullineaux DR, Clayton HM. (2005). Investigation of the immediate analgesic effects of extracorporeal shock wave therapy for treatment of navicular disease in horses. Vet Surg, 34(6), 554-558. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-950X.2005.00087.x

Publication

Veterinary surgery : VS
ISSN: 0161-3499
NlmUniqueID: 8113214
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 34
Issue: 6
Pages: 554-558

Researcher Affiliations

Brown, Keith E
  • Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA. brownkei@cvm.msu.edu
Nickels, Frank A
    Caron, John P
      Mullineaux, David R
        Clayton, Hilary M

          MeSH Terms

          • Analgesia / methods
          • Analgesia / veterinary
          • Analysis of Variance
          • Animals
          • Foot Diseases / therapy
          • Foot Diseases / veterinary
          • Forelimb
          • High-Energy Shock Waves / therapeutic use
          • Horse Diseases / therapy
          • Horses
          • Lameness, Animal / therapy
          • Prospective Studies
          • Tarsal Bones
          • Treatment Outcome

          Citations

          This article has been cited 6 times.
          1. Boström A, Bergh A, Hyytiäinen H, Asplund K. Systematic Review of Complementary and Alternative Veterinary Medicine in Sport and Companion Animals: Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy. Animals (Basel) 2022 Nov 12;12(22).
            doi: 10.3390/ani12223124pubmed: 36428352google scholar: lookup
          2. MacKay AV, McOnie RC, Riddell LP, Robinson KA. Characterization of the use of shock wave therapy among equine veterinarians. Can Vet J 2020 Sep;61(9):990-993.
            pubmed: 32879526
          3. Notarnicola A, Tamma R, Moretti L, Fiore A, Vicenti G, Zallone A, Moretti B. Effects of radial shock waves therapy on osteoblasts activities. Musculoskelet Surg 2012 Dec;96(3):183-9.
            doi: 10.1007/s12306-012-0213-4pubmed: 22836286google scholar: lookup
          4. Qiu Z, Wang J, Zhang Y, Liu X, Wei C, Ma T. Extracorporeal shock wave therapy for equine musculoskeletal disorders: from biological mechanisms to clinical applications. Front Vet Sci 2025;12:1719123.
            doi: 10.3389/fvets.2025.1719123pubmed: 41487475google scholar: lookup
          5. Wang AYL, Aviña AE, Liu YY, Kao HK. Stromal vascular fraction in canine osteoarthritis: advantages, applications, and insights for veterinary practitioners. Front Vet Sci 2025;12:1586629.
            doi: 10.3389/fvets.2025.1586629pubmed: 40454169google scholar: lookup
          6. Śniegucka K, Soroko-Dubrovina M, Zielińska P, Dudek K, Žuffová K. The Effect of Radial Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (rESWT) on the Skin Surface Temperature of the Longissimus Dorsi Muscle in Clinically Healthy Racing Thoroughbreds: A Preliminary Study. Animals (Basel) 2023 Jun 18;13(12).
            doi: 10.3390/ani13122028pubmed: 37370538google scholar: lookup
          Subscribe to our newsletter
          Join 99,344 horse owners like you who receive our email updates on horse health and nutrition.