What is MUSCLE FATIGUE? Muscle fatigue refers to “the inability to continue exercise at a given intensity” (Marlin, D., 2007). It can occur at the level of an individual muscle fibre, or the animal as a whole. Studies of muscle fibres have shown that the fatigue is a function of the muscle cell itself. A main contributor to muscle fatigue is the depletion of ATP (Adenosine triphosphate). ATP is the body’s energy source. If muscle activity outweighs the ability of the muscle cells to replenish then lactic acid begins to accumulate in the muscle cell. The major carbohydrate fuel for muscle is glycogen, which is stored in the muscle fibres. With a buildup of lactic acid, there is an oxygen debt also building. If the oxygen is not replaced effectively in the relaxation stage of the muscle contraction/relaxation cycle, then the muscle will not be able to resume optimal muscle activity. Intensity, duration and pattern of exercise – Massage will aid in muscle preparation before work, reduce warm up times and aid in cooling down with relevant exercises. Can target areas of specific tightness/soreness as part of an exercise routine. With a reduction in warm up time, this can mean a longer period until muscle fatigue, thus prolonging the duration and/or intensity of work required. Fitness – although the muscle fibres cannot be changed, they can be trained. Feeding fat can increase performance during prolonged exercise. Adding fat to the diet affects the metabolic and thermoregulatory responses to exercise. The less stress on the horse’s internal bodily systems with regards to the mobilization of oxygen and heat reduction means more energy and water is readily available for muscle contractions/excitation. The use of massage and/or “strapping” with specially designed pads aids also in the recruitment of fibres along with a specialized training routine to build the correct muscle. Age – Muscle fibres are unable to utilize oxygen as efficiently as when younger. The use of massage in the older horse not only aids in relaxation of body and mind, eases stiffness by promoting blood flow to sore areas, breaking adhesions of scar tissue, but as the fibre types change to be more oxidative they will tire more readily because of the use of glycogen. The massage will help to clear toxin build up so muscles recover more efficiently. Body Condition – Excess body weight – as with man, horse’s muscles do not build to accommodate for body-induced weight overload, the excess weight just lies as fat and makes work in general harder for the individual, putting more pressure on vital systems to work correctly. Excessive fat is also likely to cause earlier fatigue because it could contribute to higher body temperatures during exercise, therefore massage would be advisable as a relaxation tool, to clear toxins from system and aid lymphatic drainage. Environmental conditions; Heat or heat and humidity Cold Pollution Altitude The above environmental factors contribute to muscle fatigue in varying ways; heat or heat and humidity; Horses lose water via sweat, leading to dehydration and impairment of body systems. Cold causes vasoconstriction of blood vessels, inhibiting the transport of blood and oxygen to muscle cells. Pollution of the air the horse breathes means less oxygen per breath of air, and therefore not efficient use of it in muscles. High altitudes mean a lack of oxygen too, this impairing the body’s ability to recover from muscle exhaustion. If you have any questions or are interested in a consultation to find out how I can help you and your horse please PM me or contact 07881 101899 or email [email protected].
Posted on: Sun, 22 Sep 2013 18:39:26 +0000
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