Assessing thermal changes in the equine thoracolumbar region following different capacitive-resistive electrical transfer protocols.
Authors: Calle-González Natalie, Rivero Jose-Luis L, Olivares Joaquín, Miró Francisco, Argüelles David, Requena Francisco, Munoz Ana
Journal: Frontiers in veterinary science
Summary
# Editorial Summary: CRET Protocols and Thoracolumbar Thermal Response in Horses Capacitive-resistive electrical transfer (CRET) is increasingly used in equine practice as a non-invasive deep diathermy technique, yet optimal treatment parameters remain unclear. Researchers applied five different CRET protocols—sham, low-intensity (5%), medium-intensity (30%), and high-intensity (40%) with and without subsequent capacitive therapy—to the T15–L2 region of ten sound horses, measuring skin temperature changes via thermography during and 30 minutes post-treatment. Low-intensity CRET produced negligible thermal effects compared to sham controls, whilst medium and high-intensity protocols generated similar temperature increases during application; however, the combination of high-intensity treatment followed by brief capacitive therapy (HIP+CAP) maintained significantly elevated mean and maximum skin temperatures (approximately 3–4°C higher) for at least 30 minutes post-treatment compared to high-intensity alone or sham controls. For practitioners, these findings suggest that low-intensity CRET may be insufficient for meaningful thermal effects in the thoracolumbar region, whilst a hybrid approach—shorter, tolerable high-intensity sessions immediately followed by low-intensity capacitive therapy—offers a practical means of sustaining therapeutic temperatures without extending overall treatment duration. The reliance on surface thermography rather than invasive intramuscular measurement warrants acknowledgement; skin thickness and hair density may have influenced readings and warrant consideration when interpreting results.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Low-intensity CRET settings appear ineffective for producing therapeutic thermal effects in the thoracolumbar region; consider medium or high-intensity protocols if thermal benefit is the goal
- •If using high-intensity CRET, adding a short capacitive phase afterward extends warm tissue temperatures longer—potentially beneficial for subsequent manual therapy or exercise without extending session time significantly
- •High-intensity treatment tolerates only ~10-minute application in most horses; the HIP+CAP combination achieves sustained effects in shorter total time, which may improve client compliance
Key Findings
- •Low-intensity CRET (5%) produced no significant temperature difference compared to sham treatment at any measurement timepoint
- •High-intensity CRET with subsequent capacitive therapy (HIP+CAP) maintained significantly elevated skin temperatures for 30 minutes post-application (median 26.68°C) compared to sham and low-intensity protocols
- •Medium and high-intensity protocols produced similar temperature increases during application, but HIP+CAP sustained higher temperatures in the 15-30 minute post-application period
- •Addition of low-intensity capacitive therapy after high-intensity CRET extended thermal effects without substantially increasing total treatment duration