Suspensory Ligament Sprain
Equine Conditions and Responses Home
The Suspensory Ligament is attached to the back of the knee in the front legs and hocks in the hind legs. The ligament runs downwards close to the back of the cannon bones and divides into two branches which both attach at the back of the Fetlock to a Sesamoid Bone and to the Upper Pastern. This ligament supports the Fetlock and protects it from dropping to low during movement. The Suspensory Ligament can be damaged when the Fetlock joint is over flexed during strenuous activities such as galloping, jumping or during quick changes in direction.
Symptoms
Lameness of varying degrees, depending on severity of the damage. Some
horses show lameness which becomes worse with exercise
but improves with rest, others show persistent lameness, or some none at
all. Heat and swelling can be felt in the region of the injury.
If the ligament is ruptured, the Fetlock will sink towards the ground, depending on the extent of the rupture.
Equine Bowen Therapy and the
treatment of Suspensory Ligament Sprain
Following Vetenary care Equine Bowen Therapy can support healing of
ligaments because of its unique ability to rebalance the bodies
systems and stimulate sluggish systems, Equine Bowen Therapy can help promote healing due to
increasing the efficiency of the circulatory
and lymphatic systems therefore helping o improve on the quality of the tissue being "laid down" to repair ligament damage.
Equine Bowen Therapy is also effective in encouraging muscle release to help
realign misused muscles during this type of injury.
Because of these rebalancing qualities Equine Bowen Therapy can be effective for use as part of a program of fittening and injury prevention.
