Introduction to Heat Therapy
Heat is invaluable in therapy and in combination with massage therapy, heat greatly helps in the recovery stages of injuries as well as in maintenance / prehab programs.
Jess always carries her Epiony Heat Pad and Epiony Thermal wand with her in case it is required during treatments.
Application
The Epiony Heat Pad is battery powered and designed to be safe for use on horses. It is fastened in place with either a surcingle or neoprene wrap depending on which body part it is applied to.
The Heat Pad has been made from a light weight super soft leatherette fabric combined with heat resistant insulation wadding to trap and reflect the heat back onto the muscles to sooth and relax them.
The Epiony Thermal Wand is an innovative lightweight portable source of direct heat. The device has three metal fingers, the end of each one heats up enabling Jess to massage these warm fingers into specific muscles on the body.
The usual amount of time for a heat application is 10 to 20 minutes.
Jess will use heat to loosen muscle fibres and other fibrous tissues prior to the employment of massage techniques.
Benefits
Decreases pain by soothing the sensory nerve endings
Causes dilation, resulting in improved circulation which then brings more oxygen and nutrients to tissues
Loosens the fibres of muscles, tendons, and ligaments
Increases the elimination of carbon dioxide and metabolic waste
Prepares the area for massage techniques
Encourages a general feeling of relaxation for the horse
Stimulates the metabolism
Lowers blood pressure
Jess will often use a combination of therapies during the treatment as required and will continually assess both the physical and psychological state of your horse to ensure that the treatment is both effective and enjoyable for your horse.
