Laser acupuncture shows promise for equine back pain: full analysis

Laser acupuncture may give equine veterinarians another workable option for managing thoracolumbar back pain, especially in horses that don’t tolerate electroacupuncture well. In a newly published study and related coverage from the 2025 AAEP Convention, researchers reported that both electroacupuncture and laser acupuncture improved objective pain scores after three treatment sessions, with effects still measurable one week later. (sciencedirect.com)

That matters because back pain is a common and often frustrating problem in equine practice, particularly in performance horses. EquiManagement’s prior reporting from AAEP notes that painful backs are frequently tied to a broader cycle of dysfunction involving stabilizing musculature, compensatory overload, reduced flexibility, and concurrent lameness issues. In that context, clinicians are often layering rehabilitation, medical management, and physical modalities rather than relying on any single intervention. (equimanagement.com)

The new study, led by Kaitlin Sebring and colleagues, enrolled 21 horses with confirmed thoracolumbar pain and randomized them to no treatment, electroacupuncture, or laser acupuncture. Horses received therapy on Days 1, 4, and 7, and investigators measured mechanical nociceptive thresholds at multiple thoracolumbar and sacral sites through Day 14. According to the paper, electroacupuncture significantly increased pain thresholds at nearly all sites by Day 7 and all sites by Day 14, while laser acupuncture significantly improved thresholds at three of five sites on Days 7 and 14. The authors concluded that both modalities were viable tools for relieving thoracolumbar pain after three sessions. (sciencedirect.com)

EquiManagement’s convention coverage adds some practical detail that may matter in the field. Electroacupuncture treatments lasted 30 minutes, while laser acupuncture used a class IV laser at 980 nm for 120 seconds per site at selected acupuncture points. The only significant between-group difference reported was between control and electroacupuncture at L3 on Days 7 and 14; otherwise, there were no significant differences between electroacupuncture and laser acupuncture at any site or time point. Sebring said laser acupuncture appears to be “a great option for needle-shy horses,” reflecting the study’s main clinical takeaway rather than a claim of superiority. (equimanagement.com)

The broader industry context helps explain why this comparison is timely. The paper notes that no prior studies had directly compared electroacupuncture with laser acupuncture for thoracolumbar pain in horses. Separately, a survey published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science found that U.S. equine veterinarians commonly recommend rehabilitation exercises, acupuncture, chiropractic care, and, to a lesser extent, laser therapy for primary equine back pain, suggesting that both modalities are already part of the therapeutic conversation in practice. (sciencedirect.com)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, the study supports laser acupuncture as a reasonable option when patient temperament, handling limitations, or time constraints make electroacupuncture difficult. That could be especially relevant in sport-horse populations, where the paper notes medication use can be complicated by competition rules. Still, the findings should be interpreted carefully: this was a small trial, the follow-up window was short, and the investigators acknowledged that laser delivery may not have been optimized because hair coats weren’t clipped. In other words, the study supports clinical flexibility, but it doesn’t settle questions about ideal protocols, durability of response, or where laser acupuncture belongs relative to other back-pain interventions in a multimodal plan. (sciencedirect.com)

There’s also a practical regulatory angle for competition veterinarians and sport-horse clinicians. Current FEI veterinary regulations state that electroacupuncture is prohibited at FEI events, while acupuncture is otherwise regulated as a restricted supportive therapy under veterinary supervision. That doesn’t directly govern everyday clinical use, but it does shape how some practitioners think about treatment planning around competition schedules. (inside.fei.org)

What to watch: The next step is likely larger, longer studies that test optimized laser settings, assess durability beyond one week, and define which cases, from mildly reactive backs to more chronic or performance-limiting pain, are best suited to laser acupuncture, electroacupuncture, or a combined rehabilitation approach. (sciencedirect.com)