Treatment involves stall rest, cold hydrotherapy, compression and NSAIDs. Depending on the severity of strain will dictate how fast the horse can return to work. A controlled exercise plan needs to be developed.
Prognosis is excellent with appropriate treatment. The less severe the strain the better the prognosis. Prevention is adequate warm up and cool down.
Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) DOMS is described as muscular pain or soreness felt
-
hours after exercise.
Generally, DOMS is caused by
physical activity, especially if the activity
involved eccentric muscular contraction.
During exercise some muscle fibres become damaged. Fibres that are badly damaged are removed while those with less damaged are repaired. The repair process for muscle fibres involves the addition of extra contractile units to the muscle fibres in the area of damage as a method of preventing against future damage. The addition of contractile units causes hypertrophy of the muscle fibre which puts pressure on adjacent structures such as connective tissue, blood vessels and nerves. It is the pressure on the adjacent structures that causes the discomfort associated with DOMS. Clinically DOMS is seen as muscular pain, discomfort or stiffness felt twenty-four to seventy-two hours after exercise. Decreased range of motion, stiff gait and fatigue or weakness may accompany DOMS. The signs of DOMS subside after - days.
Diagnosis is through clinical signs and symptoms as well as a history of vigorous or unaccustomed exercise and blood analysis.
Treatment for DOMS includes controlled, gentle exercise, warm or contrasting hydrotherapy and massage therapy.
DOMS can be minimized or prevented by proper conditioning, regular stretching before and after exercise and regular massage therapy.
Post-Anaesthetic Myoneuropathy Post-anaesthetic myoneuropathy is described as the tissue following anaesthesia and recumbency during surgery.
of muscle
It is caused by local compression ischemia associated with the compression of muscle tissue between the hard surface of the operating table and the horse’s body weight.
The weight of the recumbent horse puts pressure on the muscle tissue that exceeds the capillary hydrostatic pressure of the local vessels, causing those vessels to collapse and restrict blood
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