In my last blog I shared the exciting news that I now offer INDIBA treatments alongside my services and gave you an overview of how it works. I also touched on the different injuries it can be used to treat, but in this month’s blog I wanted to take a deeper dive. I’m looking at how I use INDIBA for rehab and recovery, performance and injury prevention and pain management. This machine really is transforming treatments and pain management in horses, dogs and cats so I’m delighted to be able to share the benefits with my patients.

INDIBA for rehab and recovery

To recap from my first blog about INDIBA, this is a treatment that uses radio waves to increase circulation and therefore oxygenation to the cells which has a therapeutic effect on the body’s tissues, muscles, and joints. It increases blood flow and therefore oxygen and nutrient uptake in cells, stimulates cell activity, reduces inflammation and also has a warming effect on the tissues being treated. It can also reach deep structures which isn’t possible with some other therapies and it’s non-invasive.  That all makes INDIBA an invaluable tool for rehab and recovery from a wide range of disorders.

One study looked at 115 sport horses that presented with traumatic injuries to tendons, ligaments and synovial sheaths, and were given between five and 10 INDIBA sessions with two to three days between treatments. The horses were also rested and were given controlled therapeutic exercises. The results reveal that INDIBA treatments, combined with rest and controlled exercise, have a real effect in reducing recovery time, possibly because the treatment accelerates the drainage of interstitial hematomas and the fluid and cells from inflammation.

INDIBA for performance and injury prevention

The same effects (increased blood flow and improved oxygenation to the muscles, ligaments and tendons) that helps boost healing in horses can also be used to improve performance and even help to prevent injury. The increased blood flow and nutrient and oxygen uptake that results from a treatment with the INDIBA machine can help improve soft tissue flexibility (and therefore range of motion) and increase muscle strength and endurance. The INDIBA can also aid recovery after exercise, reducing inflammation and speeding up the drainage of catabolites such as lactic acid.

INDIBA for pain management

The INDIBA has been proven to reduce pain as well as aid recovery and prevent injury. I use the INDIBA to help with reduction of acute or chronic pain and to assist in the draining of oedema and bruises that can cause discomfort. The treatment is also very useful to reduce inflammation in an area and of course, the increase in tissue regeneration and speeding up of healing time means that any discomfort should be shorter lived than if the horse didn’t have INDIBA treatments.

In one case, two horses with obvious muscle pain in the neck area and marked restriction to bending their neck to the left or right. The horses had INDIBA treatments three times a week for four weeks and showed an increased range of motion in their necks and decreased muscle pain.