Short term analgesic effect of extracorporeal shock wave therapy in horses with proximal palmar metacarpal/plantar metatarsal pain.

The research article explores the effect of extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) on horses suffering from proximal suspensory desmitis (PSD). The study aimed to understand its analgesic impacts, but found no significant improvements in gait analysis parameters post-treatment, except for a decrease in contralateral weight-bearing asymmetry in horses with affected forelimbs after 72 hours.

Objective and Methodology

• The study aimed to determine the analgesic (pain-relieving) impact of Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT) on horses affected by Proximal Suspensory Desmitis (PSD), a common lameness condition in horses.
• 16 horses with PSD or PSD-like pain in a fore- or hindlimb were chosen for the study.
• An instrumented treadmill was used to conduct gait analysis before and at 6, 24, 48 and 72 hours after administering ESWT to the horses.
• Measurements such as stride frequency, stance duration, vertical impulse, and peak vertical force were taken into consideration for evaluating any changes in the horse’s gait.
• The study also used thermographic imaging and evaluated skin sensitivity of the treated area before and after ESWT during the same time intervals as gait analysis.

Findings and Conclusions

• No significant improvements in stride frequency, stance duration, vertical impulse, and peak vertical force were observed at any time after ESWT treatment. This indicated that ESWT did not have a substantial short-term effect on these parameters.
• However, in cases where the forelimbs of the horse were affected, there was a significant decrease noted in contralateral weight-bearing asymmetry 72 hours post-treatment, suggesting that ESWT may contribute to a certain extent in balance restoration.
• No changes that could be attributed to ESWT were identified through skin sensitivity tests or thermographic imaging, thus proving that the therapy did not affect these factors to a measurable extent.

Implications

• While ESWT may not offer immediate improvements in most gait parameters, its potential role in reducing weight bearing asymmetry in horses with forelimb PSD warrants further exploration.
• The findings of the study highlight the need for more comprehensive and long-term studies examining the impact and benefits of ESWT as a treatment for equine lameness.