Posted by Patty Stiller on April 16, 2004 at 22:28:21:
In Reply to: impar ligament damage posted by cindy on January 17, 2004 at 22:15:10:
: Anyone out there who has any luck with an impar repair. My guy is 10,he is a performance horse. Has had a year off with a "Natural trim" turned out on a large acerage. 1 year later we have NB shoes on him with pads stil lame on hard surfaces. I am not sure what to think on his future... Will he be able to be ridden again?
Repairing Impar ligament damage often requires more mechanics than barefoot or plain NB shoes can provide. Impar ligament damage should be considered to require the same mechanics to ease stress in the tissue as advanced navicular bone changes would need. This means a full EDSS system, or something like the rock and roll shoe, or other means to ease stress in the ligament until it can heal.Barefoor is usually inadequate to support healing of already damaged impar ligaments. One reason is that it is IMPERATIVE to healing that the horse be landing slightly heel first at a walk. If he lands toe first he continues to damage the impar ligament, coffin joint and navicular bone. If he did not did not achieve that heel first footfall wearing plain NB, NB with pads, or barefoot then he needed more therapeutic hardware or adjustments. A toe first landing indicates he is still experiencing coffin joint misalignment, and/or pain, stress or tension in the impar ligament, DDFT atachment under the ligament, or in the coffin joint. Patty