The ways in which muscle pain inhibits the athlete, whether horse or human, are discussed with suggested physical therapy solutions. Muscle pain is a physical stress. It is a drain of both the physical and the mental energy. When there is pain, the body sets up protective mechanisms, such as muscle contraction, to guard the injured area. The metabolic processes necessary to maintain this chronic muscle tension take their toll on the body's physical energy.
Emotional stress is a very real component to muscle pain, as well.
Emotional stress is the constant feedback from the pain site, which human therapists think distracts the brain from full concentration on the athletic task at hand. Electrical stimulation, magnetic fields, and massage provide relaxation to tense muscles, and the horse's response suggests that there is a state of deep relaxation. This state is vital to the restoration of full muscle function. Spasm is the intense, involuntary contraction of muscle fibers. Muscle spasm is more severe than muscle tension, which can be relieved with rest.