Myofascial pain is a primary cause of lameness in sport horses

Horse owners and riders often assume that lameness comes from a bad joint or a strained tendon. This review challenges that long-held belief. It suggests that deep muscle pain is a common and often missed reason for gait issues in sport horses. Dressage horses, in particular, seem to have a high rate of this specific muscle pain in their neck and back areas. The problem is that this pain can trick observers into thinking the horse has a problem in its legs or joints. In reality, the source of the discomfort is often much higher up in the body. When doctors treat these specific muscle points, the horse often walks normally again very quickly. This rapid improvement supports the idea that the muscle pain was the main issue all along. However, the review notes that current diagnosis focuses too much on joints and tendons. This narrow view causes clinicians to overlook the muscle pain that is clearly present. By adding a simple physical check to the routine exam, veterinarians can find the real cause of the problem. This shift in perspective could help many horses return to full performance without unnecessary invasive procedures. The evidence is clear that muscle pain is a primary driver of lameness, not just a side effect of other injuries.