Horsepower Technologies Inc. (HTI), a Massachusetts-based healthcare and technology company dedicated to combating equine lameness, has developed a scientifically proven, innovative product for horses that promises to significantly reduce both the rehabilitation time and incidence of re-injury following tendon and ligament trauma. Horsepower Technologies’ ground-breaking product, FastTrack, the world’s first rehabilitative orthotic device for horses. FastTrack was launched at the 2017 American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) convention in San Antonio, Texas, November 17-21, and will be generally available to the market in early 2018.
“We are thrilled to introduce FastTrack to the market. After nearly eight years of diligent research and development, as well as countless hours of on-horse and in-lab testing, we are confident that the product will significantly help horses during their rehabilitation from lower-limb soft tissue injuries. FastTrack™ will provide veterinarians with a powerful new tool in the treatment of equine lameness,” said Mouli Ramani President and CEO of Horsepower Technologies.
Soundness through Science
Based on years of innovation and extensive research, FastTrack has been scientifically shown to limit over-extension of the horse’s fetlock joint, thereby significantly reducing strain on the injured flexor tendons and ligaments and reducing the risk of re-injury. As a result, horses can more safely and quickly resume exercise without exacerbating the injury.
Dr. Carl Kirker-Head, a prominent equine orthopedic surgeon, equine sports medicine expert, and associate professor of large animal surgery at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, has served as Horsepower Technologies’ Chief Veterinary Officer and its lead equine researcher since the company’s inception. Additionally, renowned veterinarians including U.S. Olympic Equestrian Team doctors Dr. Tim Ober, Dr. Rick Mitchell and Dr. Brendan Furlong have been consulted throughout the development of the product, supporting the technological advancement and enhanced treatment that FastTrack enables.
“FastTrack provides the equine veterinarian with a highly innovative product unlike anything we have previously used. This customized orthotic will be one of the most powerful tools we have in the treatment of many equine lameness cases. Today’s modern medical technology has allowed development of this amazing device,” said Dr. Rick Mitchell, a member of the Boards of the United States Equestrian Federation, American Association of Equine Practitioners and American Horse Council who has served as an attending veterinarian for the U.S. Equestrian Team at six Olympic Games.
Innovative Technology
Made of aircraft-grade aluminum and high-strength stainless-steel, and based on novel structural and material-science innovations found in human orthotics over the past several years, FastTrack™ enables early mobilization and out-of-the-stall load-bearing exercise for horses that have sustained flexor apparatus injuries. FastTrack’s advanced features include a: (i) patented exoskeletal structure, (ii) patented Restriction of Motion (“ROM”) device, SafeStop, that controls the maximum permissible angle of rotation of the fetlock joint and (iii) customized thermo-formable padding. HTI plans on adding a suite of sensors and diagnostic software in future versions of the product.
“FastTrack is a solution that horsemen have needed for years. It will extend the careers of horses that suffer from soft tissue injuries to the lower leg,” said Dr. Mark Cheney, an equine veterinary leader in the Thoroughbred and Standardbred racing industry.
Patented SafeStop Technology
A patented adjustable ROM control that allows user-defined mobility during the healing process, SafeStop limits the maximum permissible extension angle of a horse’s fetlock joint. This allows the veterinarian to set a preferred range of joint motion, reduce load on injured flexor tendons and ligaments, and ultimately reduce the risk of re-injury. As the horse’s health improves, a greater range of motion can be allowed via an easy and intuitive re-setting of the SafeStop angle, thus allowing the tendons and ligaments to gradually adjust to an increased load.
“One of the most innovative elements of FastTrack is the inclusion of their SafeStop technology. The ability to safely and securely control the level of joint extension, which will allow the veterinarian to control tendon and ligament load through increasing exercise levels, will result in an optimized rehabilitation program,” said Dr. Tim Ober, who has served as the Team Veterinarian for the U.S. Show Jumping Team since 1999 and who has cared for some of the most famous horses in show jumping at five Olympic Games.
Custom & Protective Fit
FastTrack has been designed with the horse’s health and comfort in mind. It incorporates an innovative heat formable padding which provides a snug, supportive fit which allows natural motion of the lower limb while ensuring no abrasion nor discomfort for the equine athlete. Rather than being stall-bound, horses can now more comfortably and safely walk, trot, or canter at the desired points in their recovery regimen while wearing the device, and thereby accelerate their recovery.
“I truly wish that FastTrack existed when I was competing professionally,” said David O’Connor, the three-time Olympic medalist who won the individual Gold in eventing at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. “I know several Olympic horses that would have benefited from Horsepower’s customized orthotic technology. The next generation of equine athletes will have a powerful new tool to help return them to competition after a sporting injury – it’s a Game Changer!”
FastTrack will be shipping to early adopters in December 2017 and will be commercially available in early 2018.
About Horsepower Technologies
Horsepower Technologies is an animal healthcare and technology company based in Lowell, MA, dedicated to combating equine lameness through the commercialization of products that reduce its incidence, speed rehabilitation times, and optimize functional outcomes associated with lameness.
The company has built an impressive stable of research horses and conducted extensive on-animal and in-laboratory testing as well as significant market research with veterinarians, riders, trainers, and horse owners. Horsepower Technologies has been able to definitively show that fatigued horses are increasingly susceptible to hyper-extension of the fetlock joint and that FastTrack limits fetlock extension and flexor apparatus load. Horsepower Technologies has published its findings in peer-reviewed scientific journals and presented at national and international veterinary symposia. Since 2016, Horsepower Technologies has focused on refining its design, building prototype and pre-production units, conducting rigorous validation testing, and commercializing its products. The company has been granted several domestic and international patents.
Further information on FastTrack and Horsepower Technologies is available at www.horsepowertech.com.
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