Why use Stablechaps
Why Use Stablechaps
Stable boots, compression wraps, stable wraps or bandages, are all commonly used on horses’. Have you used any of them before? Did you use a horse leg wrap or bandage for injury or swollen legs? We investigate some of the indications for use of compression bandages and how a stable wrap that provides gentle even pressure can help treat medical conditions that manifest in swelling or prevent swelling altogether. Swelling can be due to several reasons,
- Standing in the stable for longer periods of time in the winter months,
- Stay away shows, the horses are unlikely to get the luxury of turn out and they are doing bouts of intense exercise during competition and returning to stand in a stable.
- Horses that are prone to leg swelling and lymphangitis
- New or old injuries that cause swelling
How can Stablechaps, a compression therapy leg wrap help prevent, or reduce swelling of the horses legs to lead to a faster recovery?
Reducing Swelling and Inflammation with a stable boot
Stable wraps will provide an element of compression. These compression wraps help control oedema (fluid buildup) and reduce swelling in a horse’s leg. Swelling in tissues happens normally due to an inflammatory response, having more fluid in the area is the bodies way of protecting the tissues. Swelling can occur after strenuous exercise, injury, or during recovery from surgery. The pressure from the stable wraps helps to minimize fluid accumulation and encourages circulation, aiding in a faster recovery. Doctors will tend to prescribe compression stockings after surgery for precisely this reason, to minimise swelling and support circulation, as we tend to be very static after surgery. This concept is the same for horses to reduce swelling and speed recovery.
Bandages and stable wraps for post exercise recovery
During exercise a horse’s legs, especially the tendons and ligaments, endure significant stress and tiny tears can create minor inflammation which is not always visible to the human eye. Cryochaps already advocate using ice and compression boots after exercise to help lessen the inflammatory response which causes excessive fluid production. Combining the use of a compression wrap may also help the legs recover quicker by assisting circulation. Certainly, in human studies it has been found that using compression post exercise improves circulation, limits swelling and increases oxygen supply, these studies have shown that there are significant improvements in performance recovery. – find out more by looking at our stable wraps after exercise page.
Harnessing Infrared for recovery
Did you also know that stablechaps can harness teh power of infrared energy. The infrared radiated from the leg is held from escaping by the Stablechaps materials until the stable wrap reaches body temperature. By trapping the infrared energy and preventing it from escaping so quickly, this maintains the warmth in the leg, boosting circulation.
By helping circulation in the horses’ legs after exercise, especially when stabled, injured or after exercise, markedly helps recovery. If using after exercise, we would recommend using stable bandages or stable wraps like stablechaps only after the horse is fully cooled down.
Protecting Wounds and Injuries with stable boots
For horses recovering from wounds, mud fever or other injuries, compression wraps for horses help keep the affected area clean and protected from dirt, and to provide padding to protect against knocks. More importantly stablewraps can prevent further swelling which can damage cells. Stablechaps from Cryochaps are also much easier to apply than gamgee and bandages and provide uniform compression like a stable bandage.
Stable Bandages to Preventing Stocking Up
“Stocking up” refers to the swelling that can occur in a horse’s legs, usually after standing still for a prolonged period (e.g., in a stable overnight). Stable bandages provide compression therapy but can be fiddly and time consuming to apply, Stablechaps by Cryochaps are a quick wrap and strap, washable and quick to dry for regular use when horses have to be bandaged regularly. Stablechaps are used to prevent stocking up by promoting blood circulation in the limbs, preventing fluid accumulation.
Treating tendon and ligament Injuries with a stable wrap.
When horses suffer from leg injuries, there is usually an element of heat and swelling involved. Compression wraps or stable bandages are used to reduce swelling caused by inflammation and provide support to injured areas. Stablechaps from Cryochaps are designed to keep the kegs as cool as possible with breathable fabrics like 3D spacer mesh. The padded materials help reduce further knocks to the injured area.
Stable boots for Preventing Lymphedema
In some cases, particularly in horses prone to poor circulation or with conditions like lymphangitis (inflammation of the lymphatic system), compression wraps help reduce fluid buildup in the legs and improve lymphatic drainage, preventing the condition from worsening.
Traveling Protection
Horses often wear compression wraps during transportation. There are two reasons for this, one to help the circulation and provide support to the veins to pump the blood back up the leg and two, to protect their legs from knocking themselves during travel. Stablechaps could also be used for travel purposes.