…many veterinarians have begun to incorporate massage therapy into their post medication recovery protocols…
Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis, known as EPM, attacks the horse’s central nervous system and causes inflammation and damage to the brain and/or spinal cord. This damage can cause abnormal gaits, lameness, incordination, stiff or stilted movements, weakness, muscle atrophy, paralysis, loss of sensation, abnormal sweating, difficulty swallowing, difficulty navigating hills or slopes, head tilt and poor balance. EPM is defined as a progressive, degenerative disease and can be fatal.
If you suspect your horse has EPM contact your veterinarian ASAP so they can conduct an examination. Your vet will work with you to pick the best treatment plan for your horse.
EPM affects each horse differently. It can leave your horse with nerve damage and muscle atrophy causing various degrees of balance or coordination impairment, altered gaits, tripping, numbness or sensitivity, depression, weakness, dysfunction and increased or new asymmetries. Some horses lose their ability to accurately sense balance, or where their feet are exactly, and need help recovering that awareness to move safely across the ground.
How well your horse recovers from EPM depends a lot on how quickly he was treated and what neurological damage he has sustained. Horses with mild symptoms who are treated early tend to have the best prognosis. Exactly how much nerve damage and subsequent muscle weakness your horse has sustained may only become fully apparent as he returns to work.
Once your horse has completed his course of drug treatment, and your veterinarian has cleared him to return to physical activity, you will want to develop a plan for how best to bring him back into action. To help with this, many veterinarians have begun to incorporate massage therapy into their post medication recovery protocols.
Massage offers a number of benefits to a horse that’s regaining its self-awareness, strength, coordination and athleticism after any illness or injury. Here’s how it can help your horse;
Massage techniques with different frequencies, amplitudes and intensities stimulate the mechanoreceptors which sense pressure, stretching, vibrations, temperature, touch and motion. Through this stimulation, additional proprioceptive and kinesthetic information is generated improving self awareness, coordination, and balance for safer movement. (Kinesthesia is awareness of how the body is moving in space or the ability to feel movements of the limbs and body. Proprioception is the awareness of where the body is in space, regardless of how it got into that position).
Massage helps physically stimulate weak and inactive muscles to bring them back into action, helping your horse regain strength and control and build stronger, more supple muscles.
Massage eases sore, tight muscles and supples fascia and joints for more correct and balanced movement.
Massage increases blood flow to the entire body, bringing nutrients to muscles, improving organ function and skin quality and flushing toxins out to optimize healing and healthy muscle development.
Massage increases the production of mitochondria, the organelles of cells responsible for powering the production of ATP in cellular metabolism. More mitochondria lead to more ATP, which means increased energy to heal. Massage also increases levels of white blood cells which attack viruses and bacteria.
Massage increases the production of cytokines, chemical messengers that work for the immune system to regulate things like fever, pain, and inflammation.
Massage releases endorphins which act as a natural analgesic helping to relieve headaches, myofascial pain, muscle soreness, TMJ, and other pains.
Massage releases happiness chemicals dopamine and serotonin to leave your horse with lasting feelings mental relaxation and improved mood.
Massage releases natural stress relief hormones to shift your horse to its parasympathetic nervous system, the state in which the body is able to relax, digest, repair and heal.
When planning your horse’s exercise sessions you may wish to include include some that encourage him to think about his balance, how he uses his body and where his feet are being placed.
Here are a few examples of you might consider incorporating into your program;
1. Ground exercises to improve strength, stability, and coordination without the weight and disruption of a rider.
2 Body bandages help with peripheral awareness.
3. Kinesiology tape can help attract the attention of the nervous system to a specific area. Less will be more, as too much KT tape can be overwhelming. Apply with minimal tension.
4. Weight-shifting exercises help develop muscle, balance and weight control.
5. Simple pole exercises can improve self-awareness, range of motion and strength.
6. Changes in terrain. Example; walking from grass to sand to stone dust to rubber will improve proprioception. Small slopes challenge balance, strength and weight control.
Your horse’s brain and body will tire more quickly and his body may feel and work a little differently than it would have before his illness. This can cause your horse to feel insecure, uncomfortable and have unusual reactions. Be careful and start slow and easy. Short sessions will be more productive than long ones. High stress situations, shows, changes in living situations, pregnancy, illness and/or nutritional challenges may cause EPM to flair up again.
As always, please consult your vet before implementing your exercise plan.
For more info on EPM go to
https://aaep.org/horsehealth/epm-understanding-debilitating-disease
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