Latissimus Dorsi

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SadKen

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I think (after much googling and hand wringing) that my girl has sore latissimus dorsi muscles, and I think it's because of a too tight saddle. We've had no problems before but she has put on a lot of muscle recently.

She has seen the vet because she has been twitching her withers a lot. Vet thought skin complaint as she wouldn't allow us to touch her shoulders and was reactive along her wither. She has been on steroids and I didn't ride for a while, then started again and she seemed ok. The twitching then came back with a vengeance when the steroids ended, but only when the saddle went on. I tried a different saddle and although not twitch free she was better and striding out more.

I have requested a physio appt today. Anyone have any experience of injury to this muscle and recovery timescales? I can't ride of course (and will be getting a new saddle) but am worried about losing topline in the 6+ weeks that will take, and being back to square one.
 
presumably you can long rein her 30 mins per day, loose school over jumps, walk out in hand with a roller and continous running check rein, and more turnout. It just means you will be doing a bit of different work.
 
The physio should really help, obviously a different saddle required but in the meantime the physio should give you a plan of action to include stretching exercises, they will help her use herself properly, also lunging, long reining, polework in hand as well can all help maintain and build up the muscle. I had one that was really bad he had become a headshaker and the cause missed by the owners vet, once treated and in a new, wider, saddle he was so much better.
 
it depends on the injury, the physio should be able to assess and suggest the right work to help alongside the treatments.

As Bonkers2 says you can do a lot to maintain fitness / toppling without riding.
 
Good ideas, thanks. I've never walked her out in hand before but I think she might quite like that. I have a John Whitaker that I could lunge in, I'm a little wary of lunging her in just a cavesson or bridle as she uses it as an excuse to run in circles for half an hour and take the mick out of me hehe I've always had side reins on after learning the hard way. Although I suppose if she does want to run in circles, at least she is getting some exercise!

Will see what the physio says when I get my appt, and will ask about riding bareback when the muscles have recovered too. Might pop back and post outcome in case it helps anyone, as very little came up when I googled twitchy withers and it's taken ages to reach this conclusion.
 
Carrot stretches are good. Also (If she does not kick) if you stand behind her run your fingers down(on the top) her quarters, this will help her to lift her back. Also do the belly lift , press her near the girth area and she should lift her back.

If the John Whitaker is anything like the Pessoa then that will help her work long and low. Side reins will make them lean as they work the front not the whole back/ quarters.
 
My experiance of this injury is that recovery is slow .
I would in no circumstances use a Pessoa I might use an equi ami or a bungee rien further down the recovery road but I would start with long riening about the place and leading from another horse .
I would keep turned and unrugged if possible.
I would consider theraputic untra sound and or lasers combined with diagnostic ultra sound to monitor progress.
You will be very careful with the saddle as you start ridden work .
 
Thanks GS - she is out nearly all day and is unrugged, as I noticed that she was twitching under her fly rug but isn't bothered so much when unrugged. That may have to change when it gets sunny though, as she has very pink skin and will burn without a rug.

She seems pretty comfortable now as things stand; she has stopped twitching for the most part (although I am not riding and have not tacked up). She was twitching when I put a numnah on, but isn't doing that now; also, I lunged on Monday (just in cavesson) and she twitched a lot during that but yesterday was much better, and she also had a better left bend. She also seemed to really enjoy it and I did too, which was a surprise (despite her starting the session by pelting about in canter looking like she'd been in prison for weeks). Obviously I won't be getting back on for a while yet, but it's nice to think that she's not in as much discomfort.

I have also done some stretches, and will try the ones you mentioned PH. I have a physio coming tomorrow AM so will add anything new to this thread in case it helps anyone else.
 
Physio came out this morning.

She found that the reason for the twitch was that my girl had a sore back, which had been causing discomfort, and which had led to her working incorrectly through her shoulder, causing muscle soreness and contraction there. This had triggered the twitch! She released the shoulder muscles, but my girl then went from having a perfectly OK back to a sore one, so she had to work on that as well.

My saddle is apparently not a terrible fit, so we are no further to establishing what has caused the initial problem (which may even be unrelated to riding). The physio has released the muscles and the twitch appears to have, for the most part, stopped. I am able to lunge for the next couple of days then can resume riding, but will be watching carefully to see what happens - physio is due back in a month, but said that the muscles released very quickly. So hoping that a reasonable recovery will be made, but will post further developments here, in case it helps anyone else.
 
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