The Effect of Capacitive-Resistive Electrical Therapy on Neck Pain and Dysfunction in Horses.
Abstract: Neck pain and stiffness are increasingly recognized in horses and often treated using multimodal pharmaceutical and rehabilitation approaches. In humans, deep tissue heating is reported to reduce neck pain and increase flexibility. The objective of this project was to determine the effects of capacitive-resistive electrical therapy on neck pain and stiffness in horses. A blinded, randomized, controlled clinical trial with 10 horses assigned to active and 10 horses assigned to sham treatment groups. Neck pain, stiffness, and muscle hypertonicity were assessed by manual palpation. Forelimb postural stability was evaluated using a portable media device with built-in inertial sensing components. All outcome parameters were recorded once weekly for four weeks. Using manufacturer recommendations, the treatment group received active capacitive-resistive electrical therapy to the lower cervical region (C4-C7), twice weekly for a total of six treatments, while the control group received a sham (inactive) treatment. Data was analyzed using a mixed model that was fit separately for each response variable. There were no significant differences noted over time or between groups for any outcome parameter evaluated. While neck pain and stiffness decreased by week three in both groups, the improvement was not significant. Limitations include the lack of a definitive pathoanatomic diagnosis of cervical pathology and in vivo temperature measurements. Capacitive-resistive electrical therapy was ineffective in reducing neck pain and dysfunction using the recommended treatment protocols. No short-term adverse effects were noted. Specific clinical applications and effective treatment parameters need further evaluation.
Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2022-07-29 PubMed ID: 35908601DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2022.104091Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Randomized Controlled Trial
- Veterinary
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research article investigates the effect of a specific type of electrical therapy, called capacitive-resistive electrical therapy, on neck pain and stiffness in horses, finding that it has no significant effect.
Objective and Methodology
The study sought to determine if capacitive-resistive electrical therapy could reduce neck pain and stiffness in horses. This therapy has been used in humans to treat similar issues, and the researchers aimed to examine its efficacy on equine patients. The experiment was a blinded, randomized, controlled clinical trial involving 20 horses.
- 10 horses were in the active treatment group, being subjected to the capacitive-resistive electrical therapy.
- 10 horses were in the sham treatment group and received inactive treatment.
- Neck pain, stiffness, and muscle hypertonicity were assessed manually.
- The stability of the forelimb posture was evaluated using a portable device with built-in inertial sensing components.
- The therapy was administered twice a week for three weeks, with all outcome parameters recorded weekly.
Results
Despite the rigorous methodology, the results of the experiment showed no significant differences between the groups or over time for any of the outcome parameters evaluated.
- Neck pain and stiffness showed a decreasing trend by the third week in both groups, but the improvements were not significant.
- The absence of differences suggests the electrical therapy had no more effect than a placebo.
Limited and Conclusion
However, the research had some limitations which could affect the findings.
- There was no definitive diagnosis of cervical pathology. This might mean the horses did not have any underlying condition that could have been alleviated by the treatment.
- Additionally, there were no in vivo temperature measurements. Without this data, it’s difficult to confirm whether the therapy was being administered correctly.
Despite these limitations, the study concluded that capacitive-resistive electrical therapy, following the prescribed treatment protocols, is ineffective in reducing neck pain and dysfunction in horses. However, no negative side effects were noted, and as such, the potential applications and effective treatment parameters for this therapy still deserve further evaluation in future research.
Cite This Article
APA
Parkinson SD, Zanotto GM, Maldonado MD, King MR, Haussler KK.
(2022).
The Effect of Capacitive-Resistive Electrical Therapy on Neck Pain and Dysfunction in Horses.
J Equine Vet Sci, 117, 104091.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2022.104091 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO; Present address: Samantha Parkinson, Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH.
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO.
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO.
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO.
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO. Electronic address: Kevin.Haussler@colostate.edu.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Humans
- Horses
- Neck
- Neck Pain / therapy
- Neck Pain / veterinary
- Treatment Outcome
- Electric Stimulation Therapy
Citations
This article has been cited 2 times.- Maldonado MD, Parkinson SD, Story MR, Haussler KK. The Effect of Chiropractic Treatment on Limb Lameness and Concurrent Axial Skeleton Pain and Dysfunction in Horses.. Animals (Basel) 2022 Oct 19;12(20).
- Bryś K, Grabarek BO, Król P, Staszkiewicz R, Wierzbik-Strońska M, Król T. The Thermal Influence of an Electromagnetic Field with a Radio Frequency Depending on the Type of Electrode Used.. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2022 Sep 9;19(18).
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