Electrotherapies

Jess is a firm believer in research and peer-reviewed publication, and so will only use "gadgets" and electrical machinery that has a firm and extensive amount of research proving its efficacy in multiple species and in respected journals.  This not only allows for confidence in the electrotherapies she chooses to use, but also allows for safe practice where the contraindications are well known and also for optimising the results achieved by combining electrotherapies with manual and exercise based rehabilitative practice.

If you require any information on any of the electrotherapies listed please contact Jess for an informative leaflet, further detailing the uses of each machine.

Pulsed electromagnetic field therapy

Pulsed electromagnetic field therapy or PMFT uses dynamic magnets, with a pulsed current, to restore or change a cell's potential.  This enhances the body's repair process.  PMFT is effective for reducing muscle spasm, reducing inflammation, fracture repair, nerve regeneration and for pain control.

There has been impressive research into the effects of PMFT on various conditions in multiple species, with the effects of PMFT  first scientifically studied when they showed impressive results in healing non-union fractures that were at the point of gangrene in soldiers injured in the Vietnam War.

Laser phototherapy​

Laser phototherapy uses blue, infrared and visible red light applied to an area using high intensity light emitting diodes.  The energy transferred from the light beam to the targeted tissue alters the chemical structure within the cells of the tissue, or in the form of heat.  Different colour lasers have different uses and depths of penetration, with blue phototherapy being useful in treating infected or dirty wounds,  treating gingivitis and also mud fever and rainscald in horses, while infrared and visible red can penetrate deeper into the tissue enhancing wound repair, increasing circulation and also reducing muscle spasm in conjunction with manual treatment.

Red light phototherapy has also been successfully used alongside veterinary treatment of muscle, tendon and ligament strains, which are very common in horses. 

Therapeutic ultrasound

Therapeutic ultrasound is the application of sound waves to an area which cause a mechanical micro massage of tissues which help to increase circulation, enhance collagen production, extensibility, reduce scar tissue formation by encouraging the appropriate orientation of the newly forming collagen fibres.  Therapeutic ultrasound is excellent at enhancing tendon or ligament repair and reducing scar tissue.

Neuromuscular electrical stimulation

NMES uses a small electrical current applied to certain muscles to stimulate movement.  These treatments can be used in small doses to rebuild or maintain muscle mass and can also be used as another method of pain control.  This electrotherapies is particularly useful in paralysed or recumbent dogs to maintain muscle mass and to stave off atrophy.

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation

TENS work slightly differently in animals than it does in human use.  It is primarily used for pain control, as it causes the release of neurotransmitters such as serotonin, β endorphin and other hormones.  TENS may also be used to produce some muscle contraction.



This machine stimulates sensory and motor nerves to reduce pain, often used after surgery, but can also be used in the management of chronic or acute pain caused by injury