Dynamic mobilisation exercises increase cross sectional area of musculus multifidus.

Summary

# Editorial Summary Multifidus atrophy and asymmetry occur in horses with back pain similarly to humans, compromising intervertebral stability and spinal support. Stubbs and colleagues used ultrasound and transverse CT imaging to measure cross-sectional area and symmetry of the multifidus muscle in the caudal thoracic and lumbar spine of horses performing dynamic mobilisation exercises over an eight-week period. The researchers found significant increases in multifidus cross-sectional area bilaterally, with improvements in muscle symmetry, demonstrating that targeted dynamic work can effectively reactivate and hypertrophy these deep stabiliser muscles. For practitioners, these findings provide evidence-based justification for prescribing specific mobilisation protocols as part of rehabilitation programmes for horses with back pain or performance limitations, rather than relying solely on general fitness work. Since multifidus function underpins spinal stability and load distribution through the vertebral column, restoring its size and symmetry should be a cornerstone objective in any equine back rehabilitation strategy.

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Key Findings

• •Dynamic mobilisation exercises increase cross-sectional area of musculus multifidus in equine caudal thoracic and lumbar spine
• •Specific physiotherapeutic exercises can reactivate inhibited deep spinal stabilisers similar to mechanisms observed in human back pain patients
• •Exercise-induced changes in multifidus size address asymmetry and support intervertebral stability

Conditions Studied