Special attention should be paid to signs of discomfort in the horse's body language. It is most important to consult with a veterinarian before beginning any rehabilitation routine so that the extent and nature of the injury are known. Injury Prevention Flexibility provides a certain amount of insurance against injury to the muscle and its tendon. 5 Muscle fibers tear when heavy loads are placed on shortened, tight muscles. Using stretching exercises for injury prevention became popular with professional and college football teams many years ago.
Football is a game of short bursts of effort with very little extension of the joints.
Muscle strains and tears were very common, and still are common, although incidence of this type of injury has been significantly reduced with the advent of supplemental stretching programs, according to many athletic trainers. The principles of physics and biomechanics have shown that the degree of stretch in a muscle prior to contraction will affect the strength of that contraction. This is the reason for the various takeoff positions in track and field events. Repeated workouts without the opportunity to extend the muscles to their maximum length can create muscle contractures and tightness. Research into the effects of stretching for soccer found that regular soccer training resulted in a decrease in range of motion.