Equine Massage: A Practical Guide (40 page)

Stress point 28 will be felt as a tight knot a couple of inches away from the spine, past the point of croup. This is a very sensitive area.The whole muscle might show tightness along its course, depending on the severity of the stress.

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#29 Stress Point—The Belly of the

Biceps Femoris Muscle

Myology:
The biceps femoris muscle (located in the superficial layer) anchors on the lumbar spine and runs downward to attach on the tibia. Here at the bifurcation area, the biceps femoris serves both the stifle and the hock; it flexes the stifle and hock joints in protraction and extends and abducts the hind leg during retraction.

Signs and Symptoms:
When this muscle is tight, the horse will hold his leg loose (flexed) and will scuff his hind leg when walking. During movement, the animal will show a shortening in the forward movement (protraction).

Treatment:
When you apply pressure to SP 29, the horse will respond with skin twitching on the hindquarters and he might flex the stifle on the same side. If the stress point is very tender, the horse will flinch or try to pull away from the pressure.This is a sign of excessive tightness and stress; if you feel heat, suspect inflammation. This particular stress point needs pressure applied inwards and sideways.The idea is to make the muscle move from side to side. SP 29 should be worked in conjunction with SP 28.

Stress point 29 will be felt as a thickening of muscle fibers at the bifurcation of the muscle. It is a sensitive area.The whole muscle might show tightness along its course, depending on the severity of the stress.

#30 Stress Point—The Gastrocnemius

Muscle

Myology:
The gastrocnemius muscle (located in the deep layer) attaches on the femur, running downwards and backwards to attach on the point of hock. It flexes the stifle joint and extends the hock joint.

Signs and Symptoms:
When this muscle is tight, the horse will hold his leg loose (flexed) and will show discomfort when standing. During movement, the horse will show lameness in the hind leg and a restricted forward motion.

Treatment:
When you apply pressure to SP 30, the horse will respond with skin twitching along the hind leg and he might flex the stifle on the same side. If the stress point is very tender, the horse will flinch or try to pull away from the pressure. This is a sign of excessive tightness and stress; if you feel heat, suspect inflammation.

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Stress point 30 will be felt as a tight, hardened bundle of fibers three inches above the hock joint. It is a sensitive area.The whole muscle might show tightness along its course, depending on the severity of the stress.

#31 Stress Point—The Vastus

Lateralis Muscle

Myology:
The vastus lateralis muscle (located in the deep layer) attaches to the ilium and runs forward and downward to attach on the femoral fascia covering the patella. Its action flexes the stifle joint and contributes to abduction of the hind leg.

Signs and Symptoms:
When this muscle is tight, the horse will hold his leg loose (flexed) and will show discomfort when standing. During movement, the horse will be lame in the hind leg, with forward motion and abduction of the hind leg restricted.

Treatment:
When you apply pressure to SP 31, the horse will respond with skin twitching along the hindquarters and he might flex the stifle on the same side. If the stress point is very tender, the horse will flinch or try to pull away from the pressure.This is a sign of excessive tightness and stress; if you feel heat, suspect inflammation.

Stress point 31 will be felt as a tight, hardened bundle of fibers behind and 2 inches above the stifle joint. It is a sensitive area.The whole muscle might show tightness along its course, depending on the severity of the stress.

#32 Stress Point—The Rectus Femoris

Muscle

Myology:
The rectus femoris muscle (located in the deep layer) attaches to the ilium and runs forward and downward to fix on the femoral fascia covering the patella. Its action flexes the stifle joint.

Signs and Symptoms:
When the muscle is tight, the horse will hold his leg loose (flexed) and will show discomfort when standing. During movement, the horse will be lame, with forward motion of the hind leg restricted.

Treatment:
When you apply pressure to SP 32, the horse will respond with skin twitching along the hindquarters and he might flex the stifle on the same side. If the stress point is very tender,
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the horse will flinch or try to pull away from the pressure.This is a sign of excessive tightness and stress; if you feel heat, suspect inflammation.

Stress point 32 will be felt as a tight, hardened bundle of fibers 2 inches above the stifle joint. It is a sensitive area.The whole muscle might show tightness along its course, depending on the severity of the stress.

#33 Stress Point—The Adductor

Muscles

Myology:
The adductor muscles (located in the superficial and deep layer) attach to the ischium and run downward to insert on the medial condyle of the femur (medial aspect of the stifle).Their contraction causes the hind leg to adduct (move inward).

Signs and Symptoms:
When this muscle is tight, the horse will hold his leg loose (flexed) and will show discomfort when standing.

During movement the forward and backward motion of the hind leg will be restricted; the animal will resist abduction of this limb.

Treatment:
When you apply pressure to SP 33, the horse will respond with skin twitching along the inside of the hindquarters and he might flex the stifle on the same side. If the stress point is very tender, the horse will flinch or try to pull away from the pressure, possibly kicking. This is a sign of excessive tightness and stress; if you feel heat, suspect inflammation.

Stress point 33 will be felt as a tight, hardened bundle of fibers on the inside of the leg, 2 inches above the stifle joint. It is a sensitive area. The whole muscle group might show tightness along its course, depending on the severity of the stress.

#34 Stress Point—The

Semitendinosus Muscle

Myology:
The semitendinosus muscle (located in the superficial layer) attaches on the lumbar spine and runs downward to anchor on the hock joint (tuber calcis). Its contraction causes extension of the hip and the hock joint, flexes the stifle, and rotates the leg inwards.

Signs and Symptoms:
When this muscle is tight, the horse will hold his leg loose (flexed) when at rest or will try to stretch it by tucking the leg under his hind end. During movement, the horse shows lameness in the hindquarter, with shortened protraction and discomfort in straightening the stifle.

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Treatment:
When you apply pressure to SP 34, the horse will respond with skin twitching along the hindquarters and he might flex the stifle on the same side. If the stress point is very tender, the horse will flinch or try to pull away from the pressure.This is a sign of excessive tightness and stress; if you feel heat, suspect inflammation.

Stress point 34 will be felt as a rigid knot or as a tight line of muscle fibers at the origin tendon attachment on the sacrum. It is a sensitive area.The whole muscle might show tightness along its course, depending on the severity of the stress.

#35 Stress Point—The

Semimembranosus Muscle

Myology:
The semimembranosus muscle (located in the superficial layer) attaches to the lumbar spine, runs downward, and attaches to the hock joint. It extends the hip joint and the fetlock, flexes the stifle, and adducts the leg.

Signs and Symptoms:
When this muscle is tight, the horse will hold his leg loose (flexed) when at rest or will try to stretch it by tucking it under his hind end. During movement, the horse shows lameness in the hind leg with shortening of protraction, resists lateral movement, and tracks inward during protraction.

Treatment:
When you apply pressure to SP 35, the horse will respond with skin twitching along the hindquarters and he might flex the stifle on the same side. If the stress point is very tender, the horse will flinch or try to pull away from the pressure, or may even kick.This is a sign of excessive tightness and stress; if you feel heat, suspect inflammation.

Stress point 35 will be felt as a rigid knot at the origin attachment (sacrum) with a tight line of muscle fibers running downward. It is a sensitive area.The whole muscle might show tightness along its course, depending on the severity of the stress.

#36 Stress Point—The Tensor Fasciae

Latae Muscle

Myology:
The tensor fasciae latae (located in the superficial layer) runs from the point of the hip to the distal (lower) end of the femur. Its contraction causes flexion of the stifle joint.

Signs and Symptoms:
When this muscle is tight, the horse will hold his leg loose (flexed) when at rest or will try to stretch it by
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tucking it under his hind end. During movement, the horse throws the leg outward on protraction and resists lateral movements.

Treatment:
When you apply pressure to SP 36, the horse will respond with skin twitching along the hindquarters and he might flex the stifle on the same side. If the stress point is very tender, the horse will flinch or try to pull away from the pressure.This is a sign of excessive tightness and stress; if you feel heat, suspect inflammation.

Stress point 36 will be felt as a rigid knot over the origin attachment, on the point of the hip. It is a sensitive area. The whole muscle might show tightness along its course, depending on the severity of the stress.

#37 Stress Point—The Iliacus Muscle

Myology:
The iliacus muscle (located in the deep layer) runs from the point of the hip to the distal end of the femur. Its contraction causes the hip joint to flex, assisting the outward rotation of the thigh.

Signs and Symptoms:
When this muscle is tight, the horse will hold his leg loose (flexed) when at rest, drawing it inward or trying to tuck it under the hind end. During action, the horse shows discomfort in the back and in leg movements, especially during circles.

Treatment:
When you apply pressure to SP 37, the horse will respond with skin twitching along the back muscles and the hindquarters. If the stress point is very tender, the horse will flinch or try to pull away from the pressure. This is a sign of excessive tightness and stress; if you feel heat, suspect inflammation.

Stress point 37 will be felt as a tight line of muscle fibers all along its course. It is a very sensitive area.The whole muscle might show tightness along its course, depending on the severity of the stress.

#38 Stress Point—The Superficial

Gluteus Muscle

Myology:
The superficial gluteus muscle (located in the superficial layer) runs from the lumbar spine to anchor on the hip. Its contraction assists the main gluteus muscles in extension of the hip as well as in outward rotation of the thigh.

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Signs and Symptoms:
When this muscle is tight, the horse shows discomfort in his back, with restricted hip motion and shortened protraction of the hind leg. This stress point always shows up in back problems.

Treatment:
When you apply pressure to SP 38, the horse will respond with skin twitching along the hindquarters and he might flex the stifle on the same side. If the stress point is very tender, the horse will flinch or try to pull away from the pressure.This is a sign of excessive tightness and stress; if you feel heat, suspect inflammation.

Stress point 38 will be felt as a rigid knot approximately 2

inches behind the point of the hip. It is a sensitive area.The whole muscle might show tightness along its course, depending on the severity of the stress.

#39 Stress Point—The Long Digital

Extensor Muscles

Myology:
The long digital extensor muscles (located in the superficial layer) attach to the upper aspect of the tibia.They run downwards to fix on the anterior (front) aspect of the pastern bones.Their contraction causes the hock joint to flex and the fetlock joint to extend (dorsi flex).

Signs and Symptoms:
When these muscles are tight, extension of the hoof during the protraction of the leg is limited, resulting in a shorter stride.

Treatment:
When you apply pressure to SP 39, the horse will respond with skin twitching along the hind leg and he might flex the stifle on the same side. If the stress point is very tender, the horse will flinch or try to pull away from the pressure. This is a sign of excessive tightness and stress; if you feel heat, suspect inflammation.

Stress point 39 will be felt as a rigid knot of tissues below its attachment point on the tibia. It feels very tender to the horse.

The whole muscle might show tightness along its course.

#40 Stress Point—The Long Digital

Flexor Muscles

Myology:
The long digital flexor muscles (located in the superficial layer) attach to the upper aspect of the tibia and fibula.They run downwards to fix on the posterior (back) aspect of the pastern
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bones. Their contraction causes the hock to extend and the fetlock joint to flex.

Signs and Symptoms:
When these muscles are tight, flexion of the hoof during retraction of the leg is limited, resulting in loss of power.

Treatment:
When you apply pressure to SP 40, the horse will respond with skin twitching along the hind leg and he might flex the stifle on the same side. If the stress point is very tender, the horse will flinch or try to pull away from the pressure. This is a sign of excessive tightness and stress; if you feel heat, suspect inflammation.