Anyone with a horse that has received Sacroiliac (SI) Joint Injections?

[rideforfun56]

I’m interested in other horse owners experiences with their horses recovery from SI joint injections. Like, how soon did you notice improvement? Was it a gradual improvement or one day everything was back to normal. How long was it from the date of the injections until there was a full recovery (and was there a full recovery)? What methods were used to get the horse back into condition? Any special considerations given due to the nature of the injury and treatment? Would the horse be sore for a while just from the injection procedure itself?

My horse just has injections in both left and right SI joints last Friday (April 23). After 10 months of a mystery ailment, I don’t want to get my hopes up (or down) with unreasonable expectations - your experiences will help me cope.

[Fantastic]

bump - I am curious about your question, too.

Trying to make conversation here, so that maybe someone will answer your questions: Can you tell us more about how your horse was diagnosed? What sort of problems did you have that lead to the diagnosis? What was the horse injected with?

On various horses I have had the hocks, coffin joint, stifles on one, and a fetlock injected. My vets have always been very conservative following injections (as have I). With these lower joints, I always keep the elasticon on for 24 hrs during their stall rest. The vet administers IV bute, and I usually bute for 2 days following injections. This is followed by removing the elesticon and small paddock turnout for 3-4 days. The horse is then put lightly back under saddle for a day or two, and then back into full work.

Any time you go into a joint with a needle, there is a risk. Not only is there risk of infection (especially lower joints), but can be very painful for the horse. The last horse that I had injected was this spring, and it was stifles. The vet said that I should see results within two weeks, and full effect within 4-6 weeks. I am happy to say that I saw results within 2 days!

Length of recovery time would depend upon the extent of the injury, and how long the horse was in pain before being treated. The longer the time in pain, the more chance that muscles developed unevenly and improperly. Consistent and even WTC both directions, working the horse from behind and over his back, stretching, encouraging bending right and left WTC will develope a proper topline.

What sort of a rehab program did your vet send you home with? What excercises and how long is the program?

[rideforfun56]

I was trying to avoid a long story, so will try to condense the 10 months of NQR, but not knowing for sure:
Behaviour is stiff neck bent to the right, head high, canter hop when asked to trot (counter clockwise only and only under saddle), bunny hop canter and/or cross fire (again left lead - both under saddle and on the lunge), unwillingness to go, unwillingness to canter on right lead, right rear leg slightly shorter step at walk/trot, poppy stiffles (both - left was X-rayed right after the bone scan and found to be in good condition), crabby, sensitive to the touch in girth area and under belly. However, she was willing to pick up feet for farrier. On a trail ride - she just about seems normal.
Some history - had hocks injected last October - no change, no improvement. Was Selenium deficient (December 2008), tests in March indicate adequate Selenium levels. Has been on an EPSM diet since January, but likely that is not the cause of her symptoms (and if it was, I would have seen improvements in the 4 months).
Vet said that he expected to see more positive results immediately after SI Joint injections. Instructions were that she could go back to work (which to me means that after 10 months of very limited work, start ramping back up to strengthen muscles).

[Bluey]

I don’t know about a horse, but I had my SI injected with cortisone Wednesday, I was not given any bute and was dancing around pain free by Friday.

Kidding aside, it will depend on what the injury is and what the intent of the injection was, how your horse will respond.
I really had such quick relief, but I don’t know if anyone could say how your horse will respond time wise.

I hope that is what was wrong and he gets well soon.:yes:

[JLR1]

Years ago my mare was having intermittent lameness issues due to hock arthritis. After her hocks were injected we had no improvement and that is when we did the SI. I had noticeable results with my mare within a few weeks. I seem to recall the vet telling me that I may need to repeat the injection one or two more times until the joint fuses…I never had to. I have a feeling my mare was feeling better sooner than 2 weeks, but possibly had muscle compensation issues that needed to work themselves out.

You mentioned your horse was sensitive in the girth area and was wondering if she has been diagnosed with ulcers? Excessive sensitivity in the girth area is often a symptom of an ulcer. Also, I remember hearing that other symptoms are problems related to the right side, stiff neck and shoulder muscles (These may be anecdotal, so take with a grain of salt).

Wishing you and your girl all the best!

[rideforfun56]

Over the past 10 months, I think I have had every type of horse professional look at her and we have tried or tested for just about everything - the bone scan was the last test. So, no, she didn’t have ulcers - and it seems that those symptoms apparently also indicate multitude of other possible ailments. It would be so much easier, in hind sight, if I could have just taught her how to talk!
Thanks - I’m feeling a little more hopeful that this is the solution.

[WW_Queen]

For my gelding with stifle pain (and who appeared to screw up his SI) the SI injections showed a big difference within 5 days. He was able to canter without swapping leads or breaking stride or pinning ears.

Apparently (little beknownst to me) there are SI injections, and “ultrasound guided” SI injections. The regular kind cost me around $150, apparently the u-guided ones are $300. Fancy pants!

My vet also said before I result to u-guided ones, mesotherapy is a fantastic alternative, with a few sessions lasting for years versus med injections which can “wear off”. Just a thought if you have a vet in your area that will perform it.

[pharmgirl]

saw an improvement right away

My guy had his SI injected last summer, while recovering from SI and suspensory injuries. We tried stall rest at first for the suspensories, but when nothing improved after a month we went right to injecting the SI (vet said we would need some under saddle work to evaluate the SI, which is why the injection wasn’t done right away). We noticed a dramatic improvement immediately- in just about everything. This included his willingness to pick up his hind feet for hoof picking, to gait/movement, to the inflammation in his hind suspensories going down.

His SI was pretty bad, so I would think if it’s not as bad as his that the effect might take a bit longer to really show up. He was more in an acute stage, so whether it’s more of a chronic vs. acute issue might be a factor as well.

[Fantastic]

That’s really interesting about the US SI injections - makes total sense, since I’ve heard it’s near impossible to feel the articulation of the joint to know where to inject. I imagine vets doing SI injections is on the rare side/not a commonly injected joint. It takes alot of practice to get if right for the layman vet, but they hopefully used an US. Unless done by a lameness specialist who has done it many times? Rideforfun56 - did the vet use US to do the injections?

If the vet did not use an US to do the injections and your horse does not show improvement, I would have to wonder if the vet was able to get the injection into the joint at all.

Regarding the ulcers - how many months ago did you try the ulcergard? Your horse may not have had ulcers back then, but it certainly could by now.

Those of you that have done the SI injections; did you also administer anti-inflamitories following injections to help with inflamation and comfort?

[PNWjumper]

I’ve never done injections in the SI joint, but my vet did shockwave my mare’s SI area and the difference between when she did it (on a Thursday) and the first time I rode her (on a Tuesday or Wednesday?) was like night and day. I would expect that if the diagnosis was correct, injections would help immediately.

Good luck!

[fordtraktor]

It actually took my horse several weeks to fully benefit from the injections. He was completely out of work (long-term mystery lameness, also SI discovered during bone scan after a year of on-again, off-again lameness, hock injections, etc.).

We did a full rehab program (a week of walking, building up to short trots, to longer trots, to canter in about a month, and normal activity (he’s a jumper) in about 2 months. I think it is important to have a schedule for these horses, preferably one planned with your vet. I also think that with a horse with longer-term issues, it can take a while. I would say it took a month or more for my horse to be completely normal. He is very smart and a huge wimp, so he kept being very tentative because he thought it was going to hurt to do things. After about a month he figured out that it wasn’t going to and was back to himself.

[yellowbritches]

OP, FWIW, canter issues are often a big telltale sign of SI issues. Hopefully you will see improvement.

I have dealt with several horses who have had their SI injected, and most of them have responded fantastically. Some take a little longer than others, and some end up still needing something else done, but, for the most part, it is usually very consistently good results. Our vet has us give them 5 days to a week off, but they only spend the first night in. Once they are ready to be ridden again, it is light work, gradually building up. Usually by the end of the second week post injection, they are back in full work (if they were in full work pre-injection). We do typically bute for a day or two, as it can leave them a bit tender initially.

[kiwifruit]

Hey Rideforfun

Any update from your last post? Did you get the SI injected? I posted something similar. My horse was showing subtle signs: on the forehand, weak canter, refusal to change leads and decreased performance in jumping. I’m in the process of scheduling a vet appointment but I was just curious to see what you decided to do with your guy. I hear a mixed review of this injury from being career ending to managable. I’m hoping the later.

[Dune]

I did with NO improvement, see my post on Kiwifruit’s thread.

[lstevenson]

With almost every horse I’ve seen it done on, it’s worked great. The key IMO is to put the horse in a progressive strengthening program immediately post injections. The muscles in that area need to be made strong to get the horse truely comfortable in the SI. I think many vets do not emphasize this enough, or even wrongly prescribe rest. But it’s just like using Estrone for fixing a stifle problem, it doesn’t really work long term unless you develop muscle in that area during treatment.

Also make sure they inject 4 ways, so that you take down all of the inflammation in the area.

[chism]

Does anyone have updates on their horses?

I had this done to my daughter’s 9 year old training level event horse last week. He’s an OTTB and I know he had a gate incident. He’s always been crooked behind and had a tendency to be back sore. He’s had frequent massage & chiropractic work done over the years. This is the worst he’s been, it came on about a month after a rather intense chiro/accupuncture session with a new vet/chiro. He wasn’t lame, & flexed sound, but definitely NQR & reluctant to go on the bit at the canter (which was always his easiest gait) and less keen to the jumps than he has been in the past, backing off & refusing at times. My daughter is going back to college next month & the vet tells me he can NOT take time off. I’m just wondering what everyone’s experiences have been. Is the regular work enough? Do you need regular chiro/massage to maintain? How often? Thanks for your input.

[grayarabpony]

If you’re looking at soft tissue damage re: the SI joint, all the injections are going to do is control inflammation. Those ligaments and surrounding soft tissues still need to heal.

[pharmgirl]

@grayarabpony;4292369

If you’re looking at soft tissue damage re: the SI joint, all the injections are going to do is control inflammation. Those ligaments and surrounding soft tissues still need to heal.

Definitely agree. My boy clearly had soft tissue damage (made worse during rehab when he tried to climb over a gate and got stuck, thereby shaking the gate off his legs and stretching his SI and stifle :eek:), and several months after the gate incident we are still keeping track of it. I’d say by looking at him you wouldn’t know it, but he is still sometimes a bit wonky in the beginning of a ride (but works out of it after he stretches a bit in warmup) and the chiro still finds a small bit of soreness on his right inter-transverse adjustment (but is better each time).

For us, a continuous build up of fitness and gradually adding things back into his workouts have been our plan. I also have him checked regularly by our chiro/acu vet which is very helpful in creating an overall picture of how he is doing.

[hearthorse]

Does this sound like your SI injury?

For those of you with experience in this injury, does this sound familiar?

My mare has a weird lameness that doesn’t ever show up better or worse stays the same for the most part. Can’t seem to really push off with the hind legs or use her hind end fully, one side more than the other. Switches leads, runs in the canter, stresses in the canter. Has started traveling wide behind in all gates. She also stands with her hind legs spread out. Her jumping has gotten weird. Its like she is trying to land with her back legs first over the jump. Like she has no idea where they are. Has failed a few of the neuro test. When walking away if I pull her tail to the side I can almost pull her down. She is on 24/7 turnout but comes in to eat. Anytime she is in the stall she backs her butt up to the wall and “sits” on the wall pressing her back legs till they are almost straight. I tried the epsm diet no difference. I read this past practical horseman issue on SI injuries and it sounded a lot like her. Any advice would be great!

[darkbay]

I’m bumping this up because I’d really like to hear some more stories. My horse has shown huge improvement after 2 weeks but I’m afraid of pushing it too quickly.