Thermal and behavioral response of horses submitted to functional exercises and acupuncture

ABSTRACT: The present research evaluated muscle activation degrees and relaxation of patrolling horses submitted to dynamic mobilization exercises, associated or not with acupuncture. Twelve mixed breed gelding, aged 10 ± 2.0 years, were distributed in three treatments. Treatment with a single session of dynamic mobilization exercises (longitudinal cervical flexion of head between hooves, between carpus and to up to chest); treatment with a single acupuncture session during 20 minutes, and treatment with a single session of dynamic mobilization exercises with acupuncture. Thermographic images were analyzed before and after applying treatments to the cervical, thoracic, dorsal, abdominal and pelvic regions. Animal behavior was assessed through five minutes filming, before and ten minutes after the end of each treatment application, in an uninterrupted way. Increase in animals body temperature at the end of the single session of functional exercises (P 0.05). All treatments stimulated higher expression frequency (P

摘要：本研究评估了配合或不配合针灸的动态活动训练对巡逻马肌肉激活程度与放松状态的影响。本研究纳入12匹年龄为10±2.0岁的混血骟马，随机分为三组处理方案：第一组接受单次动态活动训练，训练方式为将头部沿颈部在蹄部与腕关节之间进行纵向屈曲，直至抵达胸部；第二组接受单次20分钟的针灸治疗；第三组接受配合针灸的单次动态活动训练。分别在治疗前后，对受试马匹的颈部、胸部、背部、腹部及骨盆区域采集并分析热成像图像（thermographic images）。在每次治疗开始前及结束后10分钟内，通过不间断拍摄5分钟的视频评估受试马匹的行为表现。单次功能性训练结束后，受试马匹的体温出现升高（P 0.05）。所有处理方案均提升了相关表达频率（P