Equine Sports Therapy IRVAP (MT) & LANTRA Qualified Bit & Bridle Fit Consultant
What are the benefits of Equine Sports Massage?
Effects on Muscles
Did you know? Around 60% of the horses’ body weight is muscle. It can take up to 90 days for a small muscle injury to become apparent (noticed by a change in behaviour, decreased performance and / or lameness) by which time more serious injury may have occurred. Timely intervention to these ‘minor’ muscle injuries can not only improve a horse’s performance, but it may also prevent problems in the future. When a muscle tightens, the tightness is often transmitted from one muscle group to another, so for example, shoulder tension may be transmitted to the muscles of the forearm, resulting in extra stress being placed on the tendons. Equine massage encourages the nutrition and development of the muscular system by stimulating its circulation, nerve supply, and cell activity. Regular and systematic body massage causes the muscles to become firmer and more elastic, as well as flexible, and pliable.
- Massage therapy can be beneficial in maintaining the necessary flexibility to muscles. The fascia woven through the muscles can become stuck to the tissue beneath and massage therapy can assist with mobilising this.
- It allows us to discover areas of pain, soreness or tension and in doing so allows us to treat those areas.
- Hence we reduce chronic muscular tension and pain. As well as reducing muscle and soft tissue pain
- It breaks down ‘knots’ and ‘adhesions’
- Where we incorporate stretches, this can improve performance by maintaining or regaining optimum mobility and suppleness and assist in reducing potential by reducing tension on joints, tendons and muscles and ligaments
- Reducing muscle tension thereby helps to prevent muscles strain and improves the elasticity and flexibility of the muscles
- Assists with muscle recovery after exercise (in a post event massage) and warms muscles in readiness for performance (pre-event massage). Thereby reducing the likelihood of ‘pulled’ muscles or other injuries.
- Aids in removal of accumulated metabolic waste products
- It helps prevent muscle atrophy during long periods of restricted exercise, box rest or rehabilitation and assists with muscle tone (veterinary consent is required for any horse undoing veterinary treatment).
- As muscular tension is reduced through sports therapy this will also reduce tension in tendons allowing the skeletal system to realign and so improve posture. It has a relaxing effect on tight or knotted muscles, allowing the therapist to find trigger points and muscle spasm / soreness
- It can relieve fatigue in tired muscles by encouraging removal of lactic acid build up
- It can mitigate the onset of fibrosis (often following injury, poor posture or overuse of certain muscles
- Overall assists muscles to work at their optimum
Effects on the Joints
Equine massage therapy techniques can impact on equine joints and bones in the following ways: -
- Increase range of joint movement by mobilising and increasing synovial fluid production
- helps keep joints flexible by maintain mobility
- helps ease painful, sore joints
- Increased circulation and delivery of nutrients to bones
- Releasing joint strain through releasing tight muscles and tendons
- Helping to release restrictions in the facia and breaking down scar tissue and freeing adhesions (knots) and in so doing so freeing joint mobility.
- Assists with keeping joints supple and mobile
Effects on Cells and Tissues
- Massage brings about an increase in blood supply
- Induces increased cell renewal and tissue repair and in so doing assisting with the healing process where muscles are damaged, (less connective tissue build up and scaring). •
Effects on the Coat and the Skin
The skin is one of the largest organs of the horse’s body. Just underneath the skin there are millions of nerve endings, all which carry sensory information to the brain. Applied pressure to these nerve endings carries the neurological benefits of massage to the brain which results in relaxation.
- Sports Massage can improve skin texture and improve circulation. Pressure applied through the skin dilates small blood vessels which improve blood flow around fatigued and sore areas
- This results in an increase in circulation which in turn improves hydration and healing rates and builds new tissue quicker
- Regular massage helps to reduce the accumulation of dead skin cells on the skins surface (desquamation), and it also assists with skin gland production
- The friction and motion of massage assists in ridding the skin of built-up oils and debris and therefore enabling unhealthy elements and waste elements in the blood to be excreted
- Collectively this can result in more speedily healing of skin blemishes and also with the reduction of scar tissue
- Massage has the effect of being soothing to the cutaneous nerves – bringing about a relaxing effect.
- It can stimulate the sebaceous glands to produce more sebum which will lead to a glossier coat.
- It enhances productions of endorphins, giving a general sense of well being
- It also enhances proprioception (particularly in youngsters),
- It can calm a horse (such as in the case of a pre-event Massage)
Effects on the Vascular System
Improved circulation is a well-known benefit gained through massage. There are two main types of circulation within the body, the circulation of lymph flow and the circulation of blood flow.
When circulation is poor, conditions such as
- inflammation,
- tightness,
- tension, and
- pain can increase.
During a massage, the stimulation of improved circulation occurs which can assist with these conditions as the very act of massage improves the horse’s circulation. Most of massage techniques compress and release the horse’s muscles and so blood flow is initially slowed and then released to flow back into the area. This can assist with moving blood through areas of congestion. New, blood carries oxygen to the horse’s cells, allowing them to function at their optimum. Enhancing the circulation system by massage we also assist in important aspects of healing. Wounds need both red and white blood cells to heal. In simple terms white blood cells assist in the fight against bacteria and infection while the red blood cells help to repair tissue and heal wounds.
So, by enhancing the horse’s circulation, it means there will be a better supply of red blood cells and so ability to heal from injury.
Effects on the Lymphatic System
Sometimes this system can become sluggish and blocked (lymphatic congestion), particularly if the horse has been on box rest post injury. By performing massage, we will be encouraging lymph flow and in so doing aiding the lymph system to eliminate waste materials, toxins including lactic acid. This is why it is important as a therapist, that we have knowledge of lymph flow and where the nodes are situation in the horse.
Although lymphatic drainage is a natural function of the lymphatic system because the lymphatic system is unable to move the fluid on its own, it relies on muscles to push to push lymph flow along the body. Therefore, performing massage assists the muscles in pushing the lymphatic fluid along the system in the right direction.
The reason why it is not unusual to see a horse with filled legs if the horse has been on box rest for stood in for any period of time is because the lower legs do not have muscles as such to push fluid along. Also, it is always more likely that excess fluid will accumulate in the lower regions of the anatomy.
For the oedema to be resolved the excess fluid needs to be taken up by the lymphatic system. Gentle mobilisation techniques could assist in encouraging circulation to mobilise the excess fluid and encourage it to travel.
This type of massage not only increases the flow of lymph and drainage of waste, it also improves the overall function of the lymph system as a whole.
Increased lymphatic drainage brings the benefits of improved recovery rates, reduced oedema and improved circulation.
With a post event massage or a rehabilitation massage, the horse could well be suffering from oedema, fatigue and weakness. If a horse has sustained an injury there is often a buildup of metabolic waste within the muscle tissue. This build up can impede recovery and increase pain. So, stimulating the lymphatic system with a massage will assist in decreasing fatigue, weakness and inflammation, hence speeding recovery time.
Effects on the Neurological System
Equine massage can have an intense effect on the nervous system of the horse. Massage can increase the release of:-
- Endorphins - during a massage endorphins are released by the pituitary gland; these are the body’s natural feel-good hormones. The release of endorphins suppresses stress hormones, such as cortisol and adrenaline. Endorphins can also have an analgesic effect, reducing the sensation of pain. The reduction of pain leads to a more relaxed state and can attribute to the effect you are seeing.
- Serotonin – these are neurotransmitters implicated in sedation, inhibition of aggression, fear, and stress, and
- Dopamine – also a neurotransmitter, produced in certain brain cells which plays an important role in learning, memory, pleasurable reward, behaviour, attention, sleep, and mood.
Massage therefore at the most basic level (particularly when we discuss the use of effleurage type strokes) promotes relaxation, increases temperature, and activates the parasympathetic system releasing and promoting a feeling of well-being.
So, on a basic level the influence on the nervous system of equine massage therapy is:
- pain relief
- stimulation of the motor nerves
- Aids relaxation
- improved proprioception
- can induce drowsiness It has a calming and soothing effect on tense and tired pathways
Effects on the Endocrine System
The endocrine system is comprised of glands that produce and secrete hormones released from the endocrine system into the bloodstream.
These regulate growth, fats, metabolism, mood, temperature, sexuality, thyroid, and tissue function.
The endocrine system can have secondary effects on other organs such as the kidneys, liver, heart, and sexual organs.
- Massage can assist in balancing hormones by regulating or stimulating: Endorphins, these are the ‘feel-good’ hormones which suppresses stress and are the body’snatural painkillers. This can lead to a more relaxed and almost sleepy horse (often horses will often yawn during their massage and have ‘sleepy’, relaxed eyes)
- Serotonin which impacts on irritability, depression, pain, and behavior, controlling stress levels
- Dopamine which impacts on enthusiasm, focus and attention
- Oxytocin, promoting relaxation and decreased anxiety
- Epinephrine which increases metabolism and blood flow
- Cortisol, impacting on relaxation and the immune system
- Growth hormone, impacting on tissue repair and regeneration. Healing, growth and development
Effects on the Respiratory System
You may not consider that massage has much of an effect on the horse’s respiratory system. However, as with other systems throughout the horse, sports massage therapy has a positive effect on the respiration system. Massage effectively increases circulation throughout the body – and therefore assists in the oxygenation of tissues. It also relaxes the nervous system – thereby allowing for deeper, steadier breathing.
Endorphin release reduces blood pressure thereby assisting with a more efficient circulation placing less pressure on the cardiovascular system. This result in longer, deeper breaths and a reduced heart rate. Both of which can make the horse more relaxed.
Respiration begins with inhalation and the intercostal muscles assisting in the expanding of the rib cage. If the horse has tension or muscles soreness in this location it can affect the expansion of the horse’s rib cate and limit lung capacity. Equine massage therapy can identify muscular problems such as stress and trigger points which can then be treated if necessary to ensure the intercostal muscles are in good condition.
Effects on the Digestive System
Sports therapy can have a really positive affect on horses with gastric ulcers. Horses who have gastric ulcers often experience compensatory patterns of muscular tension, myofascial restrictions and considerable muscular pain as a result of coping with the discomfort that the ulcers cause. If left untreated the pain and discomfort can alter their way of moving and posture, leaving them more susceptible to injuries. Massage can compliment the veterinary treatment by ensuring that any areas of muscular tension, muscular pain and restrictions are addressed.
During my research I found a study by Witold Kedziersk (2017). This study consisted of measuring levels of salivary cortisol concentration in race horses. He utlised a group of race horses who were regularly trained and competed in official races . Once a month saliva samples were collected from each horse to determine the cortisol concentration. It was found that both music and massage resulted in significantly lower salivary Cortisol concentration compared to the control group and therefore it was concluded that horses found massage or music relaxing and resulted in lower-level salivary Cortisol concentration. Salivary cortisol levels are an indication of stress levels, so again this evidences how massage lowers stress levels (also linked to ulcers) and endures a feeling of well-being.