Post-surgical rehabilitation for kissing spines (interspinous ligament desmotomy) requires structured protocols that optimize welfare during recovery and return to work.
Kissing spines surgical rehabilitation welfare requires balancing adequate rest with sufficient movement to promote healing and prevent the fitness loss and psychological stress of prolonged complete stall rest. The structured exercise progression — beginning with hand walking, advancing through light work as healing progresses — maintains welfare through the recovery period. Pain management is non-negotiable: horses experiencing inadequately managed post-surgical pain have worse healing quality and poorer behavioral welfare throughout recovery. Physiotherapy integration into rehabilitation protocols improves muscle re-education and reduces the risk of compensatory pain patterns developing during the recovery period. The welfare investment in structured rehabilitation is justified by substantially improved long-term outcomes versus premature return to work.