8 minute read
Your Healthy Horse
Magnet Therapy
By Eleanor M. Kellon, VMD
Would your traveling horse benefit from magnet therapy? Here’s what the science tells us.
PHOTO BY PIXABY
Magnet therapy devices for horses are available as mesh blankets for the body with magnets sewn in; wraps for the knees, hocks, lower legs, and fetlocks alone; and wraps for the pastern area. W ould your traveling horse benefit from magnet therapy? Magnet therapy is used in both human and animal medicine. The question is, does it work? And if so, what kinds of health issues is it best suited for? Here’s a look at magnet therapy products, uses, therapy types, and FAQs. We’ll also give you cautions for static magnet therapy.
Magnet Therapy Uses
Magnet Therapy Products
an electromagnetic device would typically be 30 to 60 minutes. Once a day is the usual recommendation, but more frequent applications can also be done. Whether you should consider trying magnet therapy for your horse depends on what your expectations are. There are no studies that support the claims that magnet therapy helps heal an injury, reduces healing time, Magnet therapy devices typically improves blood flow, or boosts involve static magnets sewn into oxygen levels in the blood. some type of cover. Blankets to If you’d like to try to control treat the body or back are avail- inflammation and swelling in an able, as well as wraps for the acute injury, there’s some sciknees, hocks, lower legs, fetlocks, entific evidence to support that or pastern area. possibility, but you’ll find that Magnets for use on the “Whether you most manufacturers don’t hoof sole are also available; should consider recommend magnet use on some prod- trying magnet fresh injuries. ucts have flex- The odds ible magnetic therapy for your of a magnetic strips with self-adhesive horse depends device on the sole to help material on the back that on what your with pain are extremely slim, can be placed anywhere on expectations are.” with the possible exception the leg and of a horse that held in position with a wrap. has had too much sole pared
Pulsed electromagnetic field away and is too close to sensitive (PEMF) devices are available as tissue. Typically, there’s simply blankets, leg/joint wraps, and too much dead-tissue buildup on even as mats for hoof treatments. the foot’s surface for a magnet to Because the coils and batteries even penetrate. in these devices are bulky and If you’re trying to keep your heavy, horses can’t be left loose arthritic horse comfortable and or unsupervised. The equipment active, the best you can expect is easily slips out of position with a reduction in pain during warmtoo much movement. up. However, after the magnets
While static magnets are left have been off for a short time, the in place for prolonged periods pain does return. If your horse of time, a treatment session with has had a flare-up of a problem >>
“In my experience, magnet therapy is helpful in about 50 to 60 percent of horses with joint pain, such as low ringbone or other types of arthritis,” notes Dr. Kellon. “However, the effect is only really present when the magnet is in place.”
Magnet Therapy Cautions
• Before investing in a magnet wrap, try wrapping the area in which your horse experiences pain with either a neoprene joint wrap or a standing bandage. This alone may provide equivalent relief by limiting movement and increasing warmth. • Don’t leave magnetic (or any other) wraps on your horse 24-7. The skin needs to have a period to dry out, and all wraps must be kept clean and dry. A buildup of hair or dirt between skin and magnet could completely block any effect. Some bacteria are attracted to magnetic fields, which can lead to a spread of infection within the tissues if you use them over an infected area. and is being rested, magnet therapy might be a nice additional pain-relieving measure until the area can be brought under control again.
Magnet wraps are most likely to benefit horses with chronic problems that are retired or only used sporadically.
Static Magnet Therapy FAQs
Q. What is static magnet therapy?
A. Magnets are metals containing iron compounds. What makes them stick and attract certain other metals involves a unique arrangement in how their electrons are positioned around the nucleus. Scientists don’t truly understand all the details of what makes certain metals magnetic and what a magnetic field is—but suffice it to say that they have a distinctive arrangement of electrons that makes them interact with certain minerals that have a complementary arrangement. If a magnet meets up with another magnet head on that has a similar magnetic field, their fields will force them apart.
Q. Does static magnet therapy work?
A. Unfortunately, very few studies have been performed on the effects of static magnets on body tissues. We do know that magnets slightly repel water and blood. This is in direct contrast to claims that magnets increase blood flow. In fact, the few experimental studies that have been done have confirmed that magnets are more likely to shrink vessels that are abnormally dilated, or prevent dilation in inflammation, than they are to increase blood flow. But if magnets can prevent excessive dilation of small blood vessels, this would help control edema/swelling in inflamed areas.
The claim that static magnets increase the amount of oxygen circulating in the blood has never been proven.
Encouraging healing is another common claim, and this one also has nothing to support it. In fact, a strong therapeutic magnet won’t reach any deeper than skin level. Studies show that magnets implanted inside the body at a surgical site, or used on surface incisions, conclusively show there’s no improved healing.
Pain relief is a difficult claim to prove or refute, because pain is so hard to actually measure. Some human studies have found a beneficial effect; some found no effect.
Q. What are the results in horses?
A. There’s some evidence at least that magnet therapy might help control edema. And the pain relief effect that many people swear they get with magnets is worth considering for your horse.
In my experience, magnet therapy is helpful in about 50 to 60 per- >>
Left: The odds of a magnetic device on the sole to help with pain are extremely slim, with the possible exception of a horse that has had too much sole pared away and is too close to sensitive tissue. (Shown is a healthy trim.) Right: Typically, there’s simply too much dead-tissue buildup on the foot’s surface for a magnet to even penetrate.
cent of horses with joint pain, such as low ringbone or other types of arthritis. However, the effect is really only present when the magnet is in place. Some horses respond just as well to having their problem area wrapped with a neoprene or standing-leg wrap. However, some horses are obviously more comfortable when their magnetic wraps are in place.
Electromagnetic Field Therapy FAQs
Q. What is electromagnetic field therapy?
A. Magnetic fields can be generated by passing an electrical current through a wire. These fields are typically much stronger and penetrate deeply into the tissues. When used for veterinary purposes, coils wrapped with wire are incorporated into a mesh blanket or leg wraps/boots and a current is run through them via an attached battery.
The electromagnetic field is produced in “pulses,” meaning it shuts on and off multiple times during a treatment. On units that have adjustable frequencies, low is used to control inflammation, medium frequencies are used for inflammation and pain, and high frequencies are used for chronic problems where pain is the major issue.
Q. Does electromagnetic field therapy work?
A. While details on exactly how electromagnetic fields work are still pretty sketchy, and there’s still much more study to be done, studies have shown they: (1) improve fracture healing time; (2) stimulate healing in fractures that are not healing well (nonunion or malunion); (3) improve the strength of tendons during healing; (4) relieve arthritis pain; (5) control pain from irritated nerves (such as carpal tunnel syndrome); and (6) control postoperative pain. Pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMF) stimulate fibroblasts in tendons/ligaments and chondrocytes in joint cartilage to divide. These are the cells that maintain and repair tendon or ligament tissue and keep joint cartilage healthy. Osteoblasts are the cells that lay down bone. PEMF therapy stimulates that process in cultured bone cells.
Studies have also shown improved healing of chronic wounds, and control of postoperative pain and edema. Some PEMF devices have FDA approval for that specific use. However, there are no requirements for FDA approval for “devices,” as long as they don’t make obvious drug/medical claims.
Q. What are the results in horses?
A. PEMF therapy can be used to control pain and swelling, and encourage healing of any type of injury or condition of bone, tendon/ligament, or muscle, new or old. It can also be used over ice for even better resolution of inflammation. USR
Eleanor M. Kellon, VMD, the owner of Equine Nutritional Solutions in Robesonia, Pennsylvania, is one of a handful of experts in the field of applications of nutraceuticals for horses. She’s an authority in the field of equine nutrition, as well as conditions affecting performance horses. Dr. Kellon’s books include Equine Supplements and Nutraceuticals (Breakthrough Publications).
