PER ECB Equine Spa
~ The latest development within PER is the fully commissioned ECB Equine Spa
~ Cold water hydrotherapy is used to treat & prevent a multitude of injuries in 2°C /
35°F saltwater.
~ The Spa has successfully addressed virtually all lower leg injuries.
~ Treatment temperature leads to a profound vasoconstriction, reducing
inflammation, post treatment the subsequent reperfusion promotes healing.
~ This “Drug Free” therapy can be used for injury prevention & also to increase
mobility & reduce swelling in the limbs before & after competitive events & training.
~ The PER ECB Equine Spa is a self contained unit holding 2000 Litres / 530 Gallons.
PER ECB EQUINE SPA
Peasebrook Equine Rehab
Temperature The PER ECB Spa solution is maintained between 2 & 4 C (35 F), to
minimise heat & inflammation. This provides analgesic pain management as well as
inhibiting enzyme degeneration of tendons post injury.
Salt Concentration The salt solution acts as a hypertonic poultice as well as having a
natural healing effect on wounds. Water density increases with salt concentration,
which in turn increases pressure to aid fluid and water dispersal.
Aeration Water aeration has a massaging effect on the leg & increases the dissolved
Oxygen content of the spa solution.
Depth The depth of the water is proportional to the pressure exerted on the leg,
which effect fluid & waste dispersal; this can be varied according to position of injury.
Biological Control With water hygiene levels continually being maintained with a
combination of fine filtration, chlorination, cold water & salt, the PER ECB Spa
allows thousands of successive treatments. These same factors not only prevent
further micro-biological infections but actually help treat any pre-existing
conditions.
Dissolved Oxygen Water temperature below 6 C (48 F) has a higher ability to carry
Oxygen & with the ECB solution also being aerated, the Oxygen content is increased
dramatically. It is believed that the spa has similar effects on internal leg injuries to
the use of hyperbaric chambers in humans; and with topical wounds, reoxygenation allows phagocytes and other natural defence mechanisms to intensify
in their therapy and other host defence mechanisms to intensify in their therapy.
The therapeutic factors of cold salt hydrotherapy can
be used to treat all forms of inflammation within the
tissues of the lower limb
 Tendonitis
 Injury to superficial digital flexor, check ligament,
deep digital flexor.
 Tendonitis is one of the principle injuries associated with performance horses,
as often repair is not fully successful. For example, initial injury may start as a
bruise or strain to the collagen fibres, which then become inflamed & further
deteriorate under the influence of collagenase. In repair new collagen fibres
form, however often form cross links due to lingering swelling which are weak
& re-injure. Cold hydrotherapy treatment minimizes the effects of collegenase
by keeping the leg temperature lower; thus reducing the swelling allowing
collagen fibres to repair neatly.
Laminitis
In 2009The Austrailian Equine Laminitis research unit’s Professor Chris Pollitt's
paper was published into the success of cryotherapy in treating laminitis. The
results were conclusive and a success: 'A fantastic breakthrough in the treatment of
laminitis. ECB Equine Spa'.
This continued reserach by Professor Chris Pollitt,
has now proven that regular use of the cold salt hydrotherapy
can effectively alleviate the clinical signs and pathology
of acute laminitis.
Desmitis
The suspensory appararus supports the lower leg through attachment to the lower
bones, injury is common when horses slip or twist the leg or where over extension of
the fetlock occurs regularly during exercise. Injury of the ligament could occur in a
similar manner to tendonitis or ligament separation from bone may result in intense
inflammation & pain. Repair is slow and replacement collagen must form correctly to
prevent injury, hence the importance to keep swelling down for straight collagen
repair.
Arthritis
Bone provides a living scaffold for movement & injury can result in degeneration of
bone and joint tissue with a weakening of the bone structure. Inflammation results in
swelling & pain & unless the progressive changes are stopped deterioration will
continue to worsen with concussion. The use of cold hydrotherapy has been proven to
be of a great asset to Arthritic cases.
Hoof Injuries
Over reach, Abscesses, Bruised soles, Corns, Laminitis, Thrush, Nail Trauma
All the different structures that go to make up the hoof can be injured either by
concussion, trauma, shoeing or nutrition. Each form results in its own type of
inflammation, sometimes with isolated infection. Cold Poultice treatment of the hoof
has been a traditional therapy and the spa improves the process in the above injury
types.
Shin Splints
During exercise, pressure on the digital extensor tendon sheath through the cranial
aspect of the cannon bone, can cause the attachment of the sheath to the bone to lift in
young horses. As exercise increases, the inflammation worsens with fluid separating
the sheath and bone further. Spa treatment minimizes the inflammation.
Jar Up & Bruising
Concussion soreness is a common result where horses work on hard surfaces after lead
up exercise on softer going. This may result from a change in the going on grass tracks
or change from all weather surfaces to firmer going in racehorses. The bone tissues are
stressed and inflammation commences throughout the skeletal structures without
showing signs of fluid or swelling.
Bursitis / Synovitis
Swollen joints, wind galls or wind puffs. Result where stress injury develops in the
tissues surrounding joints and ligaments. The synovial membranes produce excess
fluid causing the joint or tendon sheaths to swell. The use of cold water hydrotherapy
has been proven to significantly assist in the healing and repair of such trauma.
Open Wounds & Skin Infection
Dermatitis, Greasy Heal, Mud Fever, Rain Scald, to name but a few. Skin infections all
commence with abrasion to the skin cells which then allow entry of various microorganisms resulting in inflammation. Both inflammation and the micro organic cause
require elimination and cold water hydrotherapy speeds this process, with the salt
content of the water acting as a poultice. Many of the artificial surfaces that horses work
on are abrasive and can irritate skin on the lower limb.
Injury Prevention & the PER ECB Equine Spa
Prevention is always better than cure. By regular use of cold salt water hydrotherapy
immediately after hard exercise, many of the stressors within tissues are removed before
inflammation develops. Cold also significantly improves surface bone density reducing
the opportunity for bone stress related injuries to commence.
The healing of injuries can be prolonged, with new tissue types being weak and prone to
re-injury. Spa treatment resolves injuries faster in two ways.
Firstly by keeping the leg temperatures lower it minimises the effect of fibre
deteriorating collegenase.
Secondly by reducing the swelling, it allows collagen fibres to repair neatly.
This reduced convalescence time is beneficial for all the horse and all connected,
however the perfect situation to utilise cold water hydrotherapy is within injury
prevention.