# Bioflow boots or magnetic bands?



## rubyrumba (29 May 2011)

I have a band as it can be left on 24/7 but a few people say nothing are as good as bioflow boots. As i'm using it for a splint (which has just been removed I can't really tell if the band works or not)
Wondering what others may think please?


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## alsiola (29 May 2011)

Any form of magnetic therapy is a complete waste of time and money.


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## foxy1 (29 May 2011)

alsiola said:



			Any form of magnetic therapy is a complete waste of time and money.
		
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## fatpiggy (31 May 2011)

I use Bioflow wraps as they are more versatile, but I'm sure that you are not supposed to leave anything magnetic on more than 12 hours per day.


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## rubyrumba (31 May 2011)

fatpiggy said:



			I use Bioflow wraps as they are more versatile, but I'm sure that you are not supposed to leave anything magnetic on more than 12 hours per day.
		
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No, that's just the boots in case they rub!


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## rossiroo (31 May 2011)

I dont know how people can make such sweeping statements about products not working. I bought a bioflow bracelet 2 years ago and found that it helped me. We then got a rescue dog, he limped badley everytime he got up but was ok after a few strides, as soon as we put a bioflow collar on him he stopped limping. It might not work for everyone but dont be so narrow-minded.


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## alsiola (31 May 2011)

rossiroo said:



			I dont know how people can make such sweeping statements about products not working. ... It might not work for everyone but dont be so narrow-minded.
		
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It is quite easy really - one reads the published evidence on the subject.  If being broadminded means I have to accept treatments that have been proven not to work, then I think I'll stick to being "narrowminded" thanks.


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## fatpiggy (1 June 2011)

Even my vet who used to raise an eyebrow over anything even faintly "alternative" said he had seen miraculous changes in an elderly pony he was trying to persuade the owners to have put down due to advanced arthritis, when it had a set of magnetic boots bought for it. It went from hobbling about to cantering around the field in a week flat.  I've also seen the improvement in my own mare's stiffness after a night in her stable, and it is really helpful in laminitis too.  If it is such bunkum, why did the official vet at a previous Olympics  encourage the equine competitors to wear magnetic rugs after they had competed?  I can't imagine they take some newly qualified slip of a lad or lass in that role.


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## C&C (1 June 2011)

Interesting read......i have an older horse who, i think, is suffering from a touch of arthritis as he is very stiff after being stabled through the nite. I am planning on buying some form of magnetic therapy for him as i have heard nothing but good feedback til i read this. I am very keen on trying this for myself, at the end of the day i'l do anything to try and make him more comfortable etc. If it works then GREAT if it doesnt i can say ive tried 

Shall let you know the outcome once i have the boots and let you know how he is with them.

I think every horse/animal/person is different, what works for one may not work for another but i dont think it should be dismissed until tried


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## applecart14 (1 June 2011)

alsiola said:



			Any form of magnetic therapy is a complete waste of time and money.
		
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Whoa there!   Whilst I respect you for your views I disagree wholeheartedly that they are a waste of time.

I've used bioflow for a number of years, most notably on a horse that was 3/10ths lame with a kick the day before wearing the boots.  The following day he came out of the stable almost sound despite not having had access to drugs.  This same horse I was told would probably 'never jump again' and yet there I was less than 3 months later trotting him up for the vet who'd made this sweeping statement,  before the ten minute box as part of a two day event.  And yes he passed with flying colours, and we would have been placed had thicko here gone through the finish flags 

I use Bioflow on my horse on a daily basis, he has them on usually for a minimum of 9 hours, but more usually for 12 on alternate pairs of legs.


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## millitiger (1 June 2011)

I have the band as I don't like the idea of any sort of boot being on that long and heating the leg.

I bought the band as Millie has windgalls and they do seem softer and smaller since wearing the band when she stands in during the day (no other changes to her routine/treatment).


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## magnetic (9 June 2011)

With regard to the time you can wear magnetic therapy products on horse, I hear this all the time.

The problem was that the earlier products used a flexible rubber type magnet and this was put into a neoprene boot. Both the rubber and the neoprene made the area very hot and could and did cause sweat rash and in some cases a blown tendon. This company then told users not to leave a magnetic boot on for no more than 8 to 12 hours. 
Other companies copied the idea of magnetic boots and used the same missinformation but the time varied to 6 hours or gradually which is/was very confusing.
It is interesting that these same companies said a magnetic rug had no time limit and you and I and your dog or cat can wear one 24/7!!!!!!

It was never the magnet! It was the material and sometimes the type of magnet used that prevented longer use. 

The magnetic Fetlock Band is lighter, tough and cheaper than boots which uses a very powerful magnet that is stronger than Bioflow, for example, and can be bought singly and especially good for horses that are turned out and recovering from and injury or illness. Older horses especially benefit for general health and well being. They can also be part exchanged or repaired for very little cost and for cheaper than a new one.

As for the sceptic, some people believe that if it doesn't work for them then it doesn't work which is very narrow minded! There is plenty of research and evidence the only problem is with clinical trials where the user is not supposed to know what is being used is that as soon as a magnetic field is detected, which is very easy, the trial is flawed.


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## magnetic (9 August 2011)

I designed and munufacture the Magnetic Therapy Fetlock band. The main reason for this was the lack of time that boots can be left on for!!! There is nothing wrong with the Bioflow boots but they can't be left on for too long in case the rub, or over heat the tendon which can cause more problems. There is no reason why a magnet can stay on 24/7, its the material the prevents this and unfortunately there is a lot of missinformation which only confuses the issue. For some horse dogs and people for the therapy to work it may take some time so if you have to keep taking the boots off then all you are doing is stop then starting the therapy. You can wear one a magnet 24/7 so can your dog! so why not your horse?? 
The other issue is why do have to buy two if your horse has only one bad leg?? Yes supporting the other leg may be a good idea but you can do that with any form of support or bandage. By wearing one on each leg or if your wear one on each wrist does not make the therapy work any quicker or better! especially if its for overall benefit rather than a specific pain site problem. Your horse will benefit far better if it can stay on especially if elderly or turned out for long periods of time. Only the Magnetic Fetlock Band allows you to do this.

On another note they are lighter, cheaper, part exchangable, washable and stronger than any other product on the market and to back this up try for yourself the 3 x 2p coin test. See if you can hang 3 coins end on end by the magnet you are using or thinking of buying! If it holds less than 2 then think again? Mine will hold 3! This shows not only magnetic strenth but penetration into the injury and through the leg into the artey to improve overall blood flow to the whole body. Please feel free to ask questions if unsure, especially the sceptics.http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/images/icons/icon12.gif


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## alsiola (9 August 2011)

magnetic said:



			See if you can hang 3 coins end on end by the magnet you are using or thinking of buying! If it holds less than 2 then think again? Mine will hold 3! This shows not only magnetic strenth but penetration into the injury and through the leg into the artey to improve overall blood flow to the whole body. Please feel free to ask questions if unsure, especially the sceptics.http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/images/icons/icon12.gif

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1) In what way does the ability to hang 3 coins on a band correlate with penetration into non-metallic structures, such as a horse's leg?  Can you provide any references showing that this is the case?
2) If the magnetic field does penetrate the leg, can you show me any published work showing that magnetism improves blood flow? (That is static magnets as in boots/bands etc.)
3) If the magnetic field does penetrate the leg, AND does improve blood flow, can you show me any published work showing that increased blood flow significantly improves any hard physiological or clinical outcomes, such as healing time, degree of pain felt?
4) Can you explain to me a mechanism by which the blood flow to the "whole body" can be improved without increasing cardiac output(CO)?  (Hint: no you can't)


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## muff747 (10 August 2011)

Just to throw a fly into the ointment here, 
A few years ago, I bought some magnetic stable chaps when my horse was on box rest and his fetlocks were swollen in the mornings.  They worked.   Within two or three days, no more swellings.  After he recovered I used them during the winter when he was prone to mud fever and they helped to dry the legs quicker and again kept the swelling at bay.
This year I needed to use them again when he was on box rest but the magnet strips has snapped inside the pockets and so I had to leave them out until I could get some more, - but they actually worked the same without the magnets in!
I always wonder when using alternative remedies, herbs etc if the problem would have cleared up anyway if I hadn't fed the herbs.  That's a question you can never answer but if the problem has gone, that's a good enough result for me to use the product again.


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## alsiola (11 August 2011)

muff747 said:



			I always wonder when using alternative remedies, herbs etc if the problem would have cleared up anyway if I hadn't fed the herbs.  That's a question you can never answer
		
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You can't answer the question by looking at one horse, or even a small group of horses.  Double blind placebo controlled studies are specifically designed to answer this question by looking at a large number of animals however.


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## Charlotte R (9 January 2021)

rossiroo said:



			I dont know how people can make such sweeping statements about products not working. I bought a bioflow bracelet 2 years ago and found that it helped me. We then got a rescue dog, he limped badley everytime he got up but was ok after a few strides, as soon as we put a bioflow collar on him he stopped limping. It might not work for everyone but dont be so narrow-minded.
		
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I'm using some equilibrium magnetic therapy hind boots on my elderly horse who has tendon problems and a swollen offside hock and leg after he banged it rolling. Definitely seems to have helped. Blacksmith is impressed.


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## Pearlsasinger (9 January 2021)

fatpiggy said:



			Even my vet who used to raise an eyebrow over anything even faintly "alternative" said he had seen miraculous changes in an elderly pony he was trying to persuade the owners to have put down due to advanced arthritis, when it had a set of magnetic boots bought for it. It went from hobbling about to cantering around the field in a week flat.  I've also seen the improvement in my own mare's stiffness after a night in her stable, and it is really helpful in laminitis too.  If it is such bunkum, why did the official vet at a previous Olympics  encourage the equine competitors to wear magnetic rugs after they had competed?  I can't imagine they take some newly qualified slip of a lad or lass in that role.
		
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MY TBxWelsh mare was on maximum bute dose and still hobbling, when in a last ditch atttempt, I bought Bioflow leg-wraps, put them on at tea-time, left them on, as per instructions for the first 24 hrs, and she *trotted* in for her tea.  I continued with the leg-wraps, 12 hrs on, 12 hrs off, alternating which legs she wore them on and she was sound for the next 3 months, when sadly she had to be pts for another reason.


ETA, tbf, 3 other horses have tried the leg-wraps with no difference observed.


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## holeymoley (9 January 2021)

I love magnets.

My horse went through very grim rotational laminitis a few Winter’s ago. I truely believe Magnetic products helped with the healing and encouraged the new growth of his hooves. I still use them. The bands are brilliant. He’s at the age where his legs fill if he’s stood in too long, the bands reduce the filling tremendously.


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