In Gait Equine offers equine rehabilitation and physiotherapy services to optimize injury recovery and improve overall performance.
Treatment plans may include a combination of therapeutic exercise plans, combined with non-invasive modalities such as class IV laser therapy, therapeutic ultrasound or FES (functional e-stim). In Gait Equine aims to collaborate with your veterinary team, for the best possible outcome for you & your horse!
About
Aurora is a life-long equestrian with a career focus in equine veterinary medicine. As a certified veterinary technician (CVT), Aurora has 20 years of experience working in the referral hospital setting with both small and large animals. After a decade of working exclusively in equine practice, she obtained her veterinary technician specialty (VTS) in equine veterinary nursing (EVN) in 2021. The VTS path, although challenging, set Aurora in pursuit of more areas of advanced skill and knowledge to benefit the hard working horse. In 2023, with a growing interest in equine sports medicine and rehabilitation, she completed the equine rehabilitation certificate program (CERP) through the University of Tennessee. In Gait Equine was created in 2023, providing equine rehabilitation and physiotherapy services throughout New England.
Aurora enjoys providing continuing education lectures for veterinary technicians through the AAEVT & AEVNT and working as an adjunct instructor for the UNH veterinary technology program.
When Aurora is not treating horses, she can be found competing in show jumping with her two wonderful mares, or hiking with her fiancé and two great danes!
Services
Evaluations
Initial evaluation consists of gait analysis and a thorough physical exam focused on the musculoskeletal system and its biomechanical function. Gait analysis can consist of in-hand movement, lunging and ridden work. Pain will be assessed by palpation and can also be measured and recorded by pressure algometry, to track each horse’s progress.
Manual therapy
Soft tissue mobilization is focused on restoring movement, increasing tissue extensibility and reducing pain. Joint mobilization aims to normalize range of motion and reduce pain by activation of mechanoreceptors. The primary goals of mobilization are to identify any asymmetry or restriction of motion and work towards restoring normal and symmetric function.
Laser therapy
Laser therapy works to stimulate healing via photobiomodulation. This process stimulates the production of ATP, which increases cellular metabolism. This stimulates healing within the cells and accelerates tissue repair. Laser therapy decreases inflammation, pain and can increase joint mobility.
Therapeutic ultrasound
Therapeutic ultrasound is a non-invasive modality that uses acoustic sound waves to produce both thermal and non-thermal effects on tissue, to promote healing and remodeling of soft tissue injuries. It promotes an increase in blood flow at the site and can be used to increase tissue extensibility. Therapeutic ultrasound can also be used to decrease pain and stiffness, increase range of motion and reduce swelling. It is comfortable for patients and therefore, well-tolerated without sedation. Therapeutic ultrasound can be used both in the sub-acute and remodeling phases of tendon and ligament injuries as an adjunct treatment.
Therapeutic exercise planning
After evaluation, a therapeutic exercise plan will be made for each horse, to target specific areas that we are looking to improve. These exercises are geared towards strengthening, stretching, posture and proprioception.
FES: Functional Electrical Stimulation
FES uses a computer-generated signal that mimics the body’s own motor-neuron function to produce “functional” muscle contraction and relaxation. The benefits to this therapy include reduction of muscle spasm and atrophy, re-education of muscle, better oxygenation of muscle tissue and improvement in muscle function. FES treatments are safe and comfortable to the horse.
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What conditions are amenable to rehab?tendon/ligament injury back pain muscle atrophy neurologic conditions post-op cases (colic surgery, back surgery, arthroscopy) arthritis prehab
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What is prehab?Prehab is the concept of optimizing conditioning, strength and function to minimize the risk of injury or re-injury. Many injuries occur as a result of compensation for a subtle imbalance or asymmetry. If we are able to identify and correct these subtle imbalances before they become chronic, we can mitigate some of these risks.
