Looking for wraps that will really bring down inflammation and swelling. Has anyone tried the Equi Flexsleeves, the back on track No Bows, the Back on track quick wraps, Dover’s No Bows, or the T-Sport Wraps? Any other suggestions?
Well, there are three components in wrapping a soft tissue injury.
One is compression. This keeps the area from swelling.
One is joint stabilization, which is the principle behind wrapping a human sprained ankle in a tensor bandage.
And one is icing, to bring down swelling. People use ice packs but horses use ice boots.
I think if you specify what injury and where on the leg, people can be more helpful.
Also while bringing down swelling can be important in managing some injuries, reducing swelling doesn’t mean the injury is healing faster.
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Yeah, I’m not sure wraps are going to do what you need, as Scribbler says. I love them but the only semi-therapeutic thing I use my T-Sport wraps for is when my old man is stocked up behind if he had to stay in and I don’t want to put his hardshell ankle boots on. The moving around part is what gets rid of the fluid, and the wraps are simply easier to fit over his cankles.
There are no wraps that are going to heal an injury, although another horse I had who used to get stocked up behind did quite well with the BoT Quick Wraps, left on overnight. They helped keep his legs tight, but that was just extra fluid from poor circulation, not tissue inflammation.
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right, the vet suggested I get something for compression…unfortunately, she didn’t really give me any suggestions haha
Well the old fashioned remedy is standing wraps, over large roll cotton wool or quilted standing wraps to make the pressure more even.
I have touch wood never needed to wrap, so I’m not familiar with the various modern products.
Just googled and see that no bow bandages are just a foam version of the quilted standing wraps that have some advantages, and that back in track promised to reflect heat back at the injury which might or might not be what you want.
Found a COTH thread from 2014 called what are no bow bandages? That has lots of good instruction I think.
I still see people using quilted wraps too.
Also I think you are meant to wrap both legs even if they aren’t both injured.
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right…I was just hoping people could tell me their experiences with them
I use these: https://www.smartpakequine.com/pt/lettia-coolmax-no-bow-wraps-11640 with regular knit bandage wraps.
I also have Back on Track quick wraps, which I like but not for compression.
I have had excellent luck with Back on Track’s no-bows. I had a horse on stall rest for a long while and would wrap him with BOT wraps each night, and every morning his legs were tight and looked amazing. I never want to be without them, and think they are far superior to regular no-bows. Best of luck, OP!
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I use these, and they are included in the SmartPak Spring sale at the moment. They need to be washed a few times before using as they can be thick and stiff to start. Put regular standing bandages over. The inside is flannel and the outside is poplin, the colors are nice for tracking whose are whose or different sizes.
https://www.smartpakequine.com/pt/wilkers-comboquilt-wraps-4756
I also have the BoT quick wraps but as the previous poster said, they don’t do any compression.
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Done the injury rehab routine more times than I care to recount. I really like the Wilkers combo quilts under wraps. I’m always trying to avoid creating new problems (bandage bows, etc.) when I wrap, and I find those hold up longer and stay even better than the thinner no bow/BOT-style quilts. They also aren’t magnets for shavings like some of the fleecy materials. I do recommend washing them every day or two so they maintain their shape.
Echoing other posters, though, I think it’s worth tempering your expectations about what wraps can really accomplish in injury healing. They are good for keeping swelling from accumulating in the lower limbs, but they are not going to serve some magic therapeutic purpose for an injury that is several layers of tissue deep. I think a lot of marketers try to convince people that it’s worth dishing out a lot of money for special wrap materials that aren’t going to make a difference in the end. And if your wrapping technique is not good, or your horse routinely tries to remove the wraps, you can end up causing more problems than you’re solving.
If you really want to take down inflammation, ice is your friend.
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This. My gelding had a bowed tendon about 18 months ago. First, while on stall rest and in the early couple months of hand walking, I wrapped him with regular no-bow wraps until he was back to work (about 9 months from injury).
At that point, the vet approved using the Back of Track no bow wraps as standing wraps after each exercise session. I would also ice his bowed tendon with the IceHorse tendon wrap before applying the BOT standing wrap.
He’s doing well, knock on wood. I continue to wraps with BOT standing wraps after intense jumping sessions and show days.
The quality of the BOT no bow wraps are really solid. They have held up with only faint signs of wear.
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Ice, just don’t over do it. Ice should be applied for 20 min at a time initially. Give them at least 30 min between 20 minute sessions. After the first 2 days it’s not that effective.
Sure if you want to use it post hand walking or exercise.
Wraps help the owner. Neoprene wraps do create heat, not always a good thing. one horse I had would throw a tantrum after a few min. on neoprene wraps. Not what I had in mind.:no:
I prefer no bows. I think they are easier to get an even wrap on, and I like that the edges kind of disappear into the rest of the wrap, less potential pressure points. They don’t hold up as long as quilts, but I always feel I get a more even wrap with them.
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I have the BOT quick wraps and love them. Use them as a “treat” after a hard work out, or if there is just a hint of swelling. Swelling is always gone by morning if I put on at night. I use regular no bows if I need compression. I have BOT no bows on my “next time I see this on sale” list because I have had such great success with all of my other BOT products.
I own BOT’s quick wraps and their no bows. From my experience with them, the no bows are much better for dealing with any swelling or stocking up as they can be wrapped tight enough to get that soft compression effect like normal standing wraps. When my older guy’s legs stock up, I like to cold hose his legs, dry them well, and then wrap his legs with BOT’s no bows. His legs are always nice and tight the next morning.
BOT’s quick wraps are just ok in my opinion. I bought them for my younger guy since he is the ultimate destroyer of standing wraps. They are not particularly great at reducing swelling from what I have seen, but they are good for just making their legs feel good from increased circulation. I definitely wouldn’t pick them over the no bow wraps in a situation where I needed compression. I mainly just use mine for trailering and when he is standing in his stall during a show for long periods. I break out the no bow wraps if he stocks up any though.
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For compression, I would go with standard no bows (Vac’s are my preference) and simply standing wrap the legs. I have hear the the sleeves are great for compression, but are a total pain to put on and take off. The BOT quick wraps don’t do much for compression, but are great if your horse’s leg needs something but you can’t make it to the barn and don’t trust others to wrap.
I am always a bit hesitant to use BOT when there is heat or inflammation as you want to leg to cool, not warm up, and the BOT fabric is heat reflecting, thus warming. However, they do a great job at reducing swelling because they increase circulation, so it is a tough call.
I do own and use the EquiFit T-Sport Wraps, but never for anything other than riding, so I can’t comment on how they would work for something like this.
I can’t recommend BOT enough. I use the knee brace on myself for compression and recovery.
