The Application of Infrared Thermography in the Assessment of BEMER Physical Vascular Therapy on Body Surface Temperature in Racing Thoroughbreds: A Preliminary Study.
Authors: Nawrot Karolina, Soroko-Dubrovina Maria, Zielińska Paulina, Dudek Krzysztof, Howell Kevin
Journal: Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
Summary
Researchers investigated whether BEMER Physical Vascular Therapy—a bioelectromagnetic device—could improve peripheral circulation in racing Thoroughbreds by measuring skin temperature changes and blood vessel diameter in the distal forelimbs using infrared thermography and ultrasound. Sixteen horses were randomised to receive either active BEMER therapy or sham treatment (inactive boots), with assessments taken before treatment, immediately after, and 15 minutes post-therapy. Whilst infrared thermography detected no meaningful increases in skin surface temperature in either group, ultrasound revealed that active BEMER treatment significantly increased both vein and artery diameter immediately after therapy, whereas sham treatment only increased artery diameter; notably, the sham group showed significant temperature drops across most measurement areas 15 minutes later. These findings suggest BEMER therapy may enhance blood flow to the distal limbs through genuine vascular responses rather than superficial heating effects—a distinction worth noting for practitioners evaluating circulation-support technologies, though the lack of thermal changes raises questions about the clinical relevance of purely vascular diameter increases without corresponding skin temperature elevation.
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Practical Takeaways
- •BEMER therapy may enhance microvascular circulation in the distal limbs based on ultrasound findings, potentially supporting recovery protocols, though clinical benefit requires further validation
- •Infrared thermography alone is insufficient to detect BEMER's vascular effects; ultrasound imaging is necessary to assess treatment response in distal limb tissues
- •The discrepancy between measurable vascular changes and surface temperature changes suggests BEMER may work through mechanisms not reflected in skin temperature, warranting investigation of perfusion metrics beyond IRT
Key Findings
- •BEMER therapy produced significant increases in vein and artery diameter in the distal forelimbs immediately after treatment, whereas sham treatment showed only artery diameter increase
- •Infrared thermography detected no significant changes in skin surface temperature immediately after BEMER therapy or at 15 minutes post-treatment in the active group, except at hooves
- •Sham group showed significant temperature drops in most regions of interest at 15 minutes post-treatment, suggesting thermal recovery from application procedure
- •Results suggest BEMER stimulates blood circulation in distal forelimbs despite lack of detectable skin temperature changes