|
| A
Bit About The Muscular System (See
also tendons and ligaments) |
| Your
horses muscular system generates, promotes and powers his locomotion and
balance. |
| Every muscular action is achieved
through the harmonious co-operation and
interaction of the neural
system,
ligaments,
tendons,
and muscle
fibres. |
| Muscles vary
in size and shape, ranging from the large and powerful to the
small and clever, with each muscle having its own laws of operation
enabling it to perform its working task. |
| Some muscles
generate speed and power, whilst others provide stability, promote flexibility,
extension, protraction and retraction while others permit high levels of
stamina. |
| Regardless
of its own working role, when
a muscle receives stimulation in the form of a nerve impulse it will automatically
contract - this meaning that its muscle fibres shorten to create an exertion of force in one
particular direction - the direction being dependant upon each
individual muscles workings and the commands it has been given. |
| For
movement to continue, each contraction has to relax so it may once again
contract once
more until the nerve impulse orders the movement to stop. |
| When
Problems Develop |
| The
'fittening and repair' process following your horses exercise (student
ref: f.c. module I) is
critical for
maintaining your horses health, strength, flexibility and stamina. Any
muscle housing tension will be unable to benefit from the optimal
benefits of its repair process, leaving it weaker, tighter and with less stamina - a
situation unable to rectify or mend itself naturally. |
| Muscles that do not
benefit from adequate respect and after care become tight and inflexible,
instigating the law of 'cause and effect'. The tight
inflexible muscle will require its compensatory body part(s) to work harder,
thus causing additional development of neighbouring muscular tension,
stress points and trigger points. |
| Muscle
fibres in spasm remain stuck in their contracted state until they are
mechanically released, and. it is
quite normal for up to 10 000 fibres to remain stuck in one
spasm before any negative effects become visible to the naked eye. |
| A
spasm will continue to grow and grow! |
| Working
with the law of 'cause and effect', the health of the muscle housing a spasm(s)
will become afflicted with by toxins and lactic acid trapped within the contracted muscle fibres;
causing the muscle to experience a loss of nutrients and oxygen due to the contracted
fibres preventing blood flowing though them. See cardiovascular
system |
| The
same muscle will have to work with reduced innervation
- (the muscles reception of nerve impulses) |
| The
same muscle will suffer a loss of strength |
| The
same muscle will suffer a loss of flexibility |
| The
same muscle will not be able to recover effectively from its work,
leaving it unable to optimally grow and tone in relation to its physical
demands. Once again through the 'law of cause and effect' will encourage
compensatory muscular tension, trigger points and stress points, all of
which proceed to create compensatory locomotion. |
| How
Massage Benefits Your Horses Muscles and Muscular System |
| Both
the working and non-working horse benefits greatly from the
workings of equine massage therapy, enabling stronger, more flexible,
toned and innervated muscles, (student
reference - proproceptive sense)
allowing your horse to perform the work asked of him with far
greater physical ease and emotional well being. |
| The
enhanced flow of blood created through equine
massage therapy delivers increased supplies of fresh nourishing oxygen and nutrients,
further optimising the muscles health, strength
and innervation. |
| The
enhanced flow of lymphatic fluid created through
equine massage therapy ensures
an optimal removal of waste
products, toxins and residue lactic acid, allowing
the 'fittening and repair' process to take place.
Muscle fibres are then able to
maintain flexibility and elasticity, strength and stability, lessening the occurrence of compensatory
muscular tension. Subsequently, muscle spasms can be released and future muscle spasms
avoided. |
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