The influence of hypertonic cold water (5-9 degreesC) spa bath hydrotherapy
on the response of 27 horses with various lower leg injuries is described.
Fifteen horses with grade 2 or 3 superficial digital flexor tendon damage
and four with suspensory ligament injury treated fur 10 minutes three times
a week responded with markedly improved ultrasonographic echogenicity and
fiber realignment of injured tissues. All but two of these horses when plac
ed back into training returned to compete successfully within six months wi
thout re-injury.
Two equestrian sports horses with traumatic contusion injury treated twice
daily were able to compete successfully 72 hours after injury without suppo
rtive drug therapy. Responses of six individual horses with other leg condi
tions also responded to hydrotherapy faster than expected. The responses in
dicate hypertonic cold water spa therapy could be a valuable addition to th
erapeutic regimes with or without other therapies.