Effect of a Single Acupressure Treatment on the Mechanical Nociceptive Thresholds (MNTs) of the Equine Epaxial Back Musculature

Aims: Equine acupressure therapies possess an abundance of acclaimed anecdotal evidence; however, scientific validation remains limited. This investigation aimed to explore the effect of manual acupressure on the mechanical nociceptive thresholds (MNTs) of the equine epaxial musculature. Materials and Methods: The study design was a randomized, single crossover trial involving ten horses (five geldings and five mares) of various ages (16 ± 4.49 years). Horses were split into two groups and received a 10-minute acupressure or sham treatment. Nine acupressure points were selected and treated with 30 seconds of direct light pressure followed by six full circles. Each horse was assessed for points of sensitivity at three points bilaterally along the epaxial musculature, before, immediately after, and one day after the acupressure or sham treatment. A two-week washout period was implemented; the groups were reversed, and the protocol was repeated. Data were both parametric and nonparametric; therefore, to ascertain whether differences occurred in MNT values across the time points, a series of repeated measures ANOVAs and Friedman's analyses were undertaken. Where significant differences were found, post hoc Wilcoxon tests with Bonferroni correction identified how MNTs differed with time. Further paired t-tests or Wilcoxon rank tests determined whether differences occurred in the percentage of change between the treatment and control groups. Results: The results of the study suggest that acupressure elicits an immediate increase in MNTs in the epaxial musculature, most significantly at the thoracolumbar region. A decrease in this response could indicate lower sensitivity of the back, allowing better back kinematics and possibly improved performance.<p></p>