Interview with Dr. Steve Adair, DVM University of Tennessee Knoxville

Videos, Education
12.19.19
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Tory Thompson, Co-Founder and Director of Marketing for Horsepower Technologies®, had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Steve Adair about his recent experience using the FastTrack® rehabilitation orthotics at the UTK Equine Performance & Rehabilitation Center.

Please describe your case: Injury, type of injury, other therapies used…

“Blue” is mid-teens QH mare. She was donated to UT due to DDFT and suspensory branch lesions in her foreleg. Chronic injury with acute flair ups. The leg was hot, painful, etc. Before she started working in FastTrack®, she was in stall rest for about a month. The hospital administered stem cells injection to her DDFT in the pastern region. 2 weeks after injection, she was brought to the EPRC (Equine Performance & Rehabilitation Center) and we used therapeutic ultrasound and applied shockwave therapy. We decided she was stable enough to start exercise, specifically the underwater treadmill. However, we felt that she was too lame and too early for us to consider exercise without some kind of support. We turned to Horsepower® and the FastTrack® rehabilitative orthotic. We trained her slowly to the treadmill while wearing the FastTrack®. I can tell you right now they are waterproof, it works very well! We kept her here for another 2-month period of time with underwater treadmill in the orthotics; then progressed her to dry land therapy (lunge and hot walker exercise) in the FastTrack®. After 3 months, we were able to take out the FastTrack® and graduate her back to her job. 

Did anything surprise you about the orthotic?

One thing I was surprised about was I never had problems with skin irritation. The FastTrack® system comes with liners that you can apply under the orthotics that can help prevent skin rubs or anything like that. But I never used them and did not have any issues with skin rubs. I’ve used other systems where the horses were irritated, so I was pleased I did not have that issue with FastTrack®.

I was also pleased with the stability- it’s a very stable/h3 product. I was very pleased with the amount of support that it provided. I’ve used other products before and never had that level of support and I think this one fit much better.

How was the fitting/application?

What’s nice about FastTrack® is that it is custom fit to the individual. It does not come in small, medium or large. I think it made a big difference with protecting the flexor apparatus.

I’ve used other products that never really fit the horses right. I don’t have to put bandages under the leg to conform to the leg or improve the fit.

Do you think FastTrack® made a difference in the rehabilitation?

Oh no doubt. It allowed us to get her to work much quicker and allowed us to use the underwater treadmill. Our treadmill is an inground (has a ramp down and then a ramp up and out of the treadmill). It made a difference supporting her in prevention of injury getting into the treadmill. The utilization of both the FastTrack® and the underwater treadmill made a great combination of buoyancy and resistance. I was a lot more comfortable and felt safer with the FastTrack®.

Would you use FastTrack® again?

Most definitely, I would use it again.

What type of cases would you look for to use FastTrack®?

Anything that has a disruption or injury to the flexor apparatus. I am happy to hear that the rear limb FastTrack® is out. We do see horses with degenerative desmitis. I think it will help the quality of life, not so much to reverse the disease but should be able to get them out and moving around. Flexor lacerations anything to superficial or deep tendons, palmar or plantar aspect of the limb. Potentially proximal suspensory desmitis. Really any injury that could benefit from offloading.

Do you have anything else to add as a comment or feedback?

I’m excited about the technology. There is a bit of a learning curve but once you do it once its pretty straight forward. Company support is excellent.

Steve Adair, DVM, MS, Diplomate American College of Veterinary Surgeons, Diplomate American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation. Dr. Adair holds a BS in Microbiology (Auburn University, a MS in Veterinary Microbiology (Auburn University), and a DVM (Auburn University). Dr. Adair is Board Certified as a specialist by the American College of Veterinary Surgeons and the American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation. He is Certified by the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association in Animal Chiropractic’s and is a Certified Equine Rehabilitation Practitioner. His special interests are equine rehabilitation, lameness, and regenerative medicine. His clinical focus areas include equine lameness, rehabilitation, and orthopedic surgery. Dr. Adair’s teaching interest include equine musculoskeletal diseases and rehabilitation. Dr. Adair provides CE seminars internationally on equine rehabilitation lameness and regenerative medicine.

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