TENS machine

[Caz n Drummer]

My old boy Drummer is on loan to a riding school and they got the pysioterrorist (can't spell in the proper way lol ) out to him coz he's getting to be a bit of an old creaking gate nowadays..She has lent us a TENS machine to use on him to help his muscle tone on his hips and pelvis..i have never seen anything so funny in my life.....his muscles had a mind of their own...he was twitching away quite merrily.
Has anyone else ever used a TENS machine on their horses or themselves and did they work?
He always seems much freer in his hips afer his daily half an hour jig.

[clurly_wurly]

Ive used a TENS machine on myself for back pain, and I find that it really does help. While the machine is switched on, the pain is totally blocked out as the machine blocks the pain signals from my nerves. Sometimes I find that the pain is a bit less after using it, and other times i dont. I find my TENS machine the most effective way to help with my pain compared with pain killers and physiotherapy.

[Grace O'Malley]

I've used them on me a couple of times. Once (as in I had it for a couple of months) for back pain when I didn't want to take painkillers as I was studying for my PhD exams. Also used one during labor. And yes, I found it quite helpful. I'd think it would be a bit tricky to get the settings right for a horse (or other animal), as I found it most effective turned up to the level just before it starts to hurt. But it sounds like it's working for him--can't argue with that!

Grace

[eventerbabe]

i used a TENS machine to strengthen muscles in and around my patella when my knee problems were at their worst. it certainly helped me!!

[alwaysfallingof]

My friend has been using one for about 6 months now on her horse that had serious back problems.
Whereas before he would rodeo on the lunge and could not be ridden, after a course of physio and using the TENS unit regularly he is now being long-reined successfully, and is restarting ridden work. :)

[GarnetFox]

I've used tens for when my illness has a bad spat. I imagine its very good for using directly on muscles, but I have to try and find my renal nerves (I think thats what they're called) so the pains blocked in my bladder. Most of the time I don't manage and it acts like a distraction to the pain, but I do like the feel of it when Im poorly, it's quite soothing in an odd way!

[racipaci]

My phsio used one on Dave when he had his back problems, unfortunately Dave is such a wimp he could only cope with it on about setting 2 at the most when most horses have it on about setting 4 quite happily!! :rolleyes:

[kelsey27]

ive not used one myself but i no sum horses that it has worked on, my horse instead has a massage, one of the ones from boots with heat and vibration and he has taht on his back for about 20mins twice a week xx

[Vicki&Milo]

I used to be a physio student, so we played with them a few times, they're actually a scaled down version of a bigger machine, but they do work-its kinda the equivalent of someone rubbing your knee better when you fall over-confuses the brain into thinking its stopped hurting!

[virtuallyhorses]

Yes, Rachel Imp's physio uses a tens machine to get some muscles to loosen up - generally while she is working on another area. It seems to help when you have those muscles well on muscles that are in spasm or have atrophied and are no longer responding to normal nerve signals - it's like a kickstart.