Arthramid Joint Therapy

If you’re looking for a long-lasting, effective, and safe way to support your equine athlete’s joints, consider Arthramid. This therapy has been commonly used in horses and humans in Europe for many years. Henderson Equine Clinic has been using it since its FDA approval for use in the United States in 2020.

What Is Arthramid & How Does It Work?

Arthramid is a 2.5% intra-articular polyacrylamide gel. Because it’s a hydrogel, it can be liquid enough to be injected out of a syringe, but still strong enough to act as a bio-scaffold within the joint.

Once injected, Arthramid interacts with and integrates into the joint’s synovial membrane (the membrane that surrounds the joint space and produces synovial fluid within the joint) in order to stabilize the joint capsule.

Arthramid is able to add support and cushion to the joint, which preserves the synovial membrane. It does this by increasing the elasticity and tensile strength of the joint capsule to allow for increased load bearing and reduction in pain receptor activation. The Arthramid also encourages the cell lining of the synovial membrane to cover itself in a new hypercellular layer, which is able to produce even more synovial fluid to support the joint naturally.

Why Choose Arthramid?

Horses of almost any age and athletic level who are afflicted by synovitis and osteoarthritis can benefit from Arthramid injections. It is recommended for both early and late stages of joint disease. The company reports that over 67-85% of horses have a successful resolution of joint lameness after treatment. We have seen the best effects in high-motion joints, such as the hocks, stifles, shoulder, elbow, fetlock, coffin, and hip.

The efficacy often lasts for 1-2 years, which is longer than the average for most other intra-articular therapies. Arthramid is more effective and healthy than steroid injections because it helps heal the joint and restore it to appropriate function, rather than just treating the pain alone. With that being said, there are certainly instances when steroid or biologic injections can be combined with Arthramid for good effects.

What Can I Expect From Treatment?

Arthramid is injected into the joint in a similar manner as any other joint injection, except that it must be performed ultrasound-guided. This way we (and you!) can watch the product as it is deposited into the joint. After the injection, we will ask you to stall rest your horse for at least 48 hours, then gradually return to work.

You may notice a gradual reduction of lameness as early as the first week, but because the product takes 2-4 weeks to fully integrate into the joint capsule, you will see greater impacts on performance later in the process. We recommend a recheck exam 4-6 weeks after the first injection, and if your horse has only partially responded to the medication, we may recommend another injection.

Because of this gradual progression of improvement, it’s best to plan you horse’s Arthramid injections well in advance of your planned show season (or period of increased exercise demand).

How Much Does Arthramid Cost?

Each Arthramid treatment is generally more expensive than a treatment of most of our other joint treatments. This is partly because of the cost of the product itself, but also because of the expenses associated with the ultrasound-guided injection. However, one treatment of Arthramid can be effective for at least two to three times as long as other joint treatments. If you are financially able to invest in an Arthramid treatment, you will generally find you have spent less money on maintenance for your performance horse over the course of his/her athletic career than if you had only used steroids and/or biologics.

The cost of the product itself depends on how many syringes are used. Arthramid comes in 1 mL syringes, and each joint can fit a different number of syringes. The chart to the right includes the most common applicable dosages. Keep in mind that individual horses may have joint abnormalities that require different amounts of Arthramid than this chart, which your vet will discuss with you.