09/10/2024
It’s been awhile since I’ve posted any type of case study…so let’s talk fascia!
What are we looking at? This particular horse presented as tense, anxious, pulling back when I approached him, and overall…the most pronounced fascia tension I’ve ever seen. You could literally see the knots under the skin where the connective tissues were stuck or tight.
What does this have to do with dentistry? Whether the teeth caused the tension or the tension caused the pathology in the teeth, it mirrored. As humans, when we are anxious, it’s common to grind your teeth, clench your jaw, keep your tongue tight to the roof of your mouth, etc. That carries down through your neck, to your trapezius muscles and you will pull your shoulders toward your ears. That’s exactly what was happening for this gelding. Not only did he has this fascia tension over his shoulders but also along his flanks. So to make the connection, the body translated the posture of the mouth/tongue/jaw into his body.
Findings! His initial evaluation wouldn’t have been a cause for concern from a typical dental aspect. He had a sharp edge on his right side (buccal and lingual), along with several expiring molars (typical for a horse of his age). Immediately following a Neuromuscular based Balance, the fascia had begun to relax. This continued on until his owner informed me that by the time she turned him out for the evening, it was gone entirely! I am so happy to be able to have eased this sweet horse’s tension and watch his progress continue!
