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Fascia in Horses – Danish veterinary exploring uncharted territory
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Fascia in Horses – Danish veterinary exploring uncharted territory

In 2015 veterinary Vibeke S Elbrønd published the first report on Fascia and horses. Through autopsy she found that the horse has the same kind of chains and networks of connective tissue through the body, as found in humans.

The Fascia Guide · 19 Apr 20162 min read
Key takeaways
  1. 01Horses share myofascial chain structures with humans — 90% overlap despite being quadrupeds
  2. 02Use myofascial kinetic lines to trace root causes of locomotor problems in horses
  3. 03Vibrations applied at the neck travel through fascia all the way to the hoofs
  4. 04Treat the horse's body as an interconnected web, not isolated muscle groups
  5. 05Dissection confirmed fascia chains exist in horses — no longer theoretical

In 2015 veterinary Vibeke S Elbrønd published the first report on Fascia and horses.

Through autopsy she found that the horse has the same kind of chains and networks of connective tissue through the body, as found in humans by Tom Myers.

They are called “Myofascial chains in horses”. Since the horse is a quadruped these lines – also described as chains – are 90% consistent with those in humans.

In a parallell study she used the Atlasbalans M1 Fascia Treatment machine to prove the existence of the myofascial chains. The study showed how the vibrations spread from the neck to the back and down to the hoofs

The studies were presented at the Fascia Research Congress in Washington DC, September 2015.

PDF: Myofascia – the unexplored tissue

PDF: Multi-Frequency Bioimpedance and Myofascial Release Therapy: An equine Atlasbalans M1 validation study

Video: Interview with Dr. Vibeke Sødring Elbrønd

Myofascia – the unexplored tissue

The precise functional role of connective tissue, and especially that of Myofascia, remains largely unexplored. With this in mind, the present study, Myofascia – the unexplored tissue: Myofascial kinetic lines in horses, a model for describing locomotion using comparative dissection studies derived from human lines, has chosen to focus on an improved understanding of the interconnected web of Fascia formed by connective tissue throughout the whole body.

Dissections of horses were undertaken in order to verify the existence of, as well as compare the similar functional interconnected lines and structures to, those found in humans. This study found that it was necessary to redefine the human lines that have already been described, owing to anatomical differences between bipeds and quadrupeds.

Nevertheless, the Myofascial kinetic lines presented in this study provide an anatomical foundation for an improved understanding of locomotion. Indeed, one in which the body is considered in a holistic way, rather than simplified and divided into individual muscle functions.

The study concludes that these kinetic lines can help practitioners trace the main cause of locomotor problems in horses afflicted with impaired performance.

Through autopsy she found that the horse has the same kind of chains and networks of connective tissue through the body, as found in humans by Tom Myers.