An Equine Massage Gun & Cold Laser Therapy Can Help Your Horse!
Learn how you can incorporate our equine massage gun and 3B cold laser into your horses maintenance and care routines. The correct physical functioning of an equine needs optimum post-workout management and rehabilitation. It is evident that physical rehabilitation, when combined with medical therapy, quickens the recovery of horses.
Advancement in technology has provided us with tools to make equine rehabilitation easier than in years prior. Cold laser therapy (LLLT) and massage therapy can help your horse to accelerate its recovery time. We will discuss in this article why a handheld cold laser (LLLT) and equine massage gun are must-have tools in your horse-care kit.
During a strenuous exercise, competition horses experience micro-injuries at their muscle-fiber level. Even in pleasure horses, muscles of the body face soreness and fatigue. During jumping and endurance, tendons and ligaments are stretched to their threshold level. All these vigorous activities need appropriate management of a horse before and after exercise.
The purpose of using different types of therapies is to provide a horse with a healthier lifestyle. In some conditions, a holistic approach using both medicinal therapy and rehabilitation tools produces synergistic effects. Tools like an equine massage gun and/or 3B cold laser device are worth using to reduce the incidence of injuries, increase recovery rate and reduce the overall stress.
Why your horse needs massage therapy...
To help keep a horse agile and healthy, different management regimes can be adopted by horse owners and trainers. At Brandenburg Equine we believe massage therapy should be at the top of the list. Your horse can really benefit from massage therapy!
Massage therapy reduces stress
Horses face different types of stress during training, traveling, and competition. Massage therapy can reduce the stress of horses. According to studies, massage therapy of 25 to 30 minutes twice a week, when practiced for 5 weeks reduced the level of stress hormone in the saliva. Reduction in heart rate and blood pressure is also observed in horses utilizing massage therapy. Brandenburg Equine offers a handy equine massage gun with 6 attachments all in a heavy-duty carrying case. You can take our equine massage gun on the road with you and your horses.
Massage therapy is pain-relieving
Massage therapy also provides pain-relief like muscle spasms, soreness, and general body injuries. After getting positive results of massage therapy in humans as a pain management strategy, it was used in equine rehabilitation. Mechanical nociceptive threshold (MNTs) after massage therapy was studied in equines. An increased value of MNTs reveals pain relief. The study reveals the gradual decrease in pain after several days of equine massage therapy.
Massage therapy enhances flexibility and range of motion
The range of motion, stride length, and flexibility are important parameters to distinguish the efficiency of a horse. A research study by the Jack Meagher institute revealed a positive correlation between massage therapy and stride length of the horse. When the stride length of 8 horses was measured after 20 minutes of massage therapy, an increase of 1.2% to 3.4% in stride length was observed.
Let Brandenburg’s percussion massage gun help you!
After understanding the importance of equine massage therapy, an obvious need is to understand the procedure and practice it. Massaging a horse manually is not an easy task. Equine muscles are strong and dense. Let our equine massage gun do the work!
Our equine massage gun is a portable machine, which can be used single-handedly. It is professionally designed and comes with six different attachments to massage different body parts accordingly. The equine massage gun is equipped with an internal rechargeable battery, which makes massage gun wireless and easy to use. Up to 20 different pressure levels can be adjusted according to your customized needs and rehabilitation goals. With all its specifications, our equine massage gun is the best option as your equine massage tool. All you need is to know about its different functions and little practice.
Massage therapy can be effective in avoiding unfavorable injuries by taking preventive measures. Just like athletes, your horse needs to be “warmed” up and “cooled” down. In cases of sports injuries, lameness, or deep tissue lacerations, where immediate care is needed, cold laser therapy can complement medicinal therapy.
Cold laser therapy (LLLT) aids in healing equine injuries
Laser beams are used in different medical interventions and surgical procedures. High energy lasers (hot lasers) are used to give incision on the skin in the surgical procedure. However, low-energy lasers (cold lasers) LLLT, are used in physical therapy and/or acupuncture.
The results of cold laser therapy are reported in healing muscles and tendons. Laser beams have also been proven effective by reducing inflammation, pain, scar tissue formation, and increasing the recovery rate of many injuries. Studies showed that laser beams interact with the body's inflammatory system to produce neurotransmitters which reduce the inflammation consistently.
A study was conducted to determine the influence of low-level laser therapy on wound healing in horses. A cold laser of 635 nm was used on the wounds. Biopsies of the wounds were examined histologically 80 days post-operative. The results revealed that wounds treated with LLLT healed faster than the control group.
Cold laser Therapy Device (LLLT)
Cold laser therapy does not mean you need a gigantic machine. Our handheld 3b cold laser therapy device (LLLT) is available for purchase in the United States and Canada. Brandenburg’s 3B cold laser is rechargeable, portable, and can be immediately used on a fresh or old wounds. The 3B cold laser therapy device is equipped with multiple diodes of different wavelengths. 10 laser diodes - 650nm are placed in the periphery while 5 laser diodes of 808nm are placed at central positions.
Brandenburg Equine’s cold laser device (LLLT) can be adjusted at two working modes (continuous & Pulse) and three levels of intensity (267mW, level 2 - 533mW, level 3 - 800mW).
When it comes to pulse or continuous mode, it is suggested to use pulse for the old and arthritic injuries and use the continuous mode for fresh wounds. Troy Brandenburg states that he likes to start at the outside of a wound or at the top/ bottom of a tendon and work my way around the area. He holds the cold laser in one area for 60-90 seconds, then moves it to the immediate next area and continue until he has done this three times in each spot. Troy states, "You can only generate some much blood flow to a area at one time. By doing the treatments this way I feel it allows the area to settle down and help increase the depth of penetration." Troy then repeats this process until he has reached his desired treatment time. Most treatment times for this grade of cold laser range from 5-30 minutes.
Cold Laser Therapy for Your Horse
Over the last ten years, an increasing number of studies have confirmed the benefits of LLLT - in humans, dogs, and other animals alike.
Similar results can be achieved when delivering LLLT to a horse dealing with injuries, sprains, aches, and high levels of inflammation. Thanks to the regenerating power of cold laser therapy, your horse can enjoy a faster healing process, better blood circulation, and reduced pain. See how the Brandenburg Equine 3B Cold Laser can help your horse benefit from low-level laser treatments (LLLT).
Caution: It is always advised to discuss the possible treatment protocol with your veterinarian or therapist before using a LLLT device. Cold lasers, or LLLT, are not recommended for cancerous areas or where cancer was removed. Like any other equipment, LLLT should never be used to treat eyes unless it is being done so by a veterinarian with proper training, as it is very easy to do more damage. It is NOT recommended for use if pregnant. Never use LLLT near the thyroid.
The purpose of using different types of therapies is to provide a horse with a healthier lifestyle. In some conditions, a holistic approach using both medicinal therapy and rehabilitation tools produces synergistic effects. Tools like a massage gun and cold laser device are worth using to reduce the incidence of injuries, increase recovery rate and reduce the overall stress.
Look at the results that Grey Horse Performance got when they used the handheld 3b cold laser or low level laser therapy LLLT) on a deep chest wound for 14 days once daily for 15 minutes each session!
*NOTE: It is recommended that you wear Safety Glasses while using any laser.
Reference & Further Readings
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18955340/
http://www.kineticx.com/pdf%20files/Evidence%20for%20Equine%20Massage%20Therapy.pdf
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18083655/
Resources for Acupressure in Horses & Dogs
In 1971, Gene was one of the Directors of the Veterinary Acupuncture Research Project of the National Acupuncture Association (NAA), which introduced Animal Acupuncture into the United States for the first time. During this time he worked directly with Veterinarians, teaching them the basics of acupuncture and how it could be used to treat small and large animals. This led to the establishment of the International Veterinary Acupuncture Association (IVAS) in 1974.Dr. Bruno was a member of the group of acupuncturists who founded the first two schools of Acupuncture in the United States. He is the past president of the American Association of Oriental Medicine. In addition to the extensive research on developing animal acupuncture, Dr. Bruno has done research at Harvard Medical School and at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, looking into the practical applications of acupuncture for the treatment of pain.
Dr. Bruno is the founder and a director of the American Board of Animal Acupuncture and currently teaches animal acupuncture at the Phoenix Institute of Herbal Medicine and Acupuncture in Arizona. Dr. Bruno uses the Brandenburg Laser on horses and small animals, and has found it superior to other lasers on the market.
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Download Equine Acupressure Chart
