When a horse (or a human) exerts itself by walking, running, jumping, or any sort of movement, the muscles activate, therefore placing tension on the adjoining tendons and bones. This movement then triggers the bones, tendons, muscles, and other systems to respond and strengthen all systems. Equine vibration therapy mimics those vertical body movements but without the added strain of exertion.
Benefits of Equine Vibration Therapy
Vertical vibration therapy has been a successful treatment for improving bone density and healing in humans for some time now. Drawing from the knowledge gained by using vibration therapy on humans, Vitafloor developed an equine vibrating floor system. The system improves muscle symmetry and size in certain equine back muscles as well as offers many other benefits.
To function, the Vitafloor system emits 30 to 50 vertical vibrations per second while the horse is standing on the platform. This whole-body vibration treatment can have many benefits for horses such as:
- Increase in muscle size, mass, and suppleness
- Improved circulation
- Reduces joint inflammation
- Reduces back pain
- Lower incidence of injury
- Increases hoof growth (especially beneficial for founder and laminitis)
- Reduces signs of stress
- Increases bone density
- Speeds up soft tissue healing after injury
Many users report that their horses seem to enjoy their time on the vibrating platform. Additionally, they state that it is useful to reduce the incidence or prevent symptoms of gas and impaction colic. Many also use equine vibration therapy as part of their warm-up routine and as an aid in removing lactic acid and preventing tying up, as well as recovering from soft tissue injuries.
Equine Vibration Therapy as Part of Your Horse’s Regimen
Regular use of whole-body equine vibration is useful as a part of almost every horse’s regimen. Vibration therapy can be an important part of maintaining peak conditioning throughout the year. It can also be used for injury prevention or rehabilitation for those on stall rest.
Always consult with your veterinarian before implementing any new treatment plan. Vibration therapy is not a cure-all and can be a contraindication for certain conditions. For horses new to vibration therapy, start at a low setting for a short period of time and gradually increase until the desired setting and duration are achieved. Typical session length is between 10 and 20 minutes, usually three to five days per week for training and injury prevention. For rehab, sessions are typically twice daily between 20 and 30 minutes.
Researchers compared the size and symmetry of the multifidus muscle (a back muscle important for spine stability) before and after treatment with whole-body vibration therapy for 60 days. Using ultrasound imaging, the researchers found significant improvement in the muscle.
Improving your horse’s topline (the muscles that run along the vertebral column) is important for your horse’s good health and performance. In addition to proper exercise and nutrition, equine vibration therapy can help you maintain your horse’s back health.
Shop Now
Shop Vitafloor’s vibration plates and accessories. Vibration plates are available as built-in models permanently installed in a dedicated space, or smaller portable models, able to be moved from location to location. Or, you can shop all our products at FarmVet.com 24/7. You can also call one of our friendly Sales Associates at 1-888-837-3626 or email your order to info@farmvet.com.
Learn More
Interested in learning more about therapy treatments available for your horses? Read about our Top Equine Therapy Treatments of 2022.
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This blog was contributed by the team at Vitafloor. Shop the entire lineup of Vitafloor products available at FarmVet HERE.
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