Known as a carpus brace in a dog. Carpus refers to many bones of the wrist. With so many bones, age and weight tend to cause laxity in the ligaments. You see a variety of different problems because of this.
3-Point Force System — Using the ground force we only need two forces in opposite directions to make the leg stand straight. The other two are lifting behind the carpus and pushing in front of the radius/ulna. See where the plastic is in our brace. The plastic applies the forces instead of straps that can fail with dirt and muck. Hero braces take those worries away.
Ground Reaction Force — Ground force and body weight counteract to harness gravity to help with the correction. That's why we include the paw, for better results.
Jointed — This design is great for dogs that have carpal hyperextension AND still have the strength to push off with the limb.
Non-Jointed — This design is best for carpal hyperextension with little carpal strength OR in cases where the joint needs to be immobilized to allow healing of the soft tissue tears and inflammation.
In a study at the University of Minnesota Veterinary School, 11 of 14 dogs with ligament instability had improved stability and reduced lameness. This study was of athletic dogs.
(Note: This study used a fabric braces on the dogs. The Hero brace is a custom plastic brace that provides more support. This is helpful to heavier dogs.)
“I can't say enough positive comments
about the service that Hero braces provides for my clients and patients. I have
worked with Ben and the other professionals at Hero for the past 12+ years. They
provide an alternative solution for dogs with cranial cruciate ruptures that
can't/won't have surgery using a specific biomechanical design. A variety of
wrist (carpal) and ankle (hock) joint issues are also resolved using Hero
braces. Bracing is a fairly new concept in veterinary physical therapy and
rehabilitation. As a physical therapist myself, I could see some of the issues
that could occur (as in the case that posted a poor review) when adequate follow
up is not performed. Our patients cannot speak to us; thus, it is imperative to
work side by side with your veterinarian or physical therapist to ensure an
adequate fit. It's a shame to see a poor review when so many animals have been
helped using Hero braces. Keep up your amazing work Ben and the team at
Hero!”
–Dr. Carrie Adrian, VCA Veterinary Specialists of Northern Colorado