Tendon and ligament injuries, and their subsequent repair and rehabilitation, have been prime concerns of equine veterinarians since horses began running, jumping and undergoing the stresses of competition.
The more recent addition of regenerative medicine products such as stem cells, platelet-rich plasma (PRP), Interlukin-1 receptor antagonist protein (IRAP) and others have provided the clinician with a means of improving and accelerating the repair process. These products provide a scaffolding for the early realignment of fibers within an injury and help improve the local tendon or ligament cellular environment to speed healing.
However, the challenge has been to find accurate ways to initially diagnose the scope and extent of tendon and ligament damage, to stage the timing of reparative injections and treatment, and to be able to quantify [measure] and monitor repair and healing.
