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Home / Equine Research Bank / Animals (Basel) / Acupuncture Points of the Horse’s Distal Thoracic Limb...
Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2012; 2(3); 455-471; doi: 10.3390/ani2030455

Acupuncture Points of the Horse’s Distal Thoracic Limb: A Neuroanatomic Approach to the Transposition of Traditional Points.

Abstract: Veterinary acupuncture charts were developed based on the concept of transpositional points whereby human acupuncture maps were adapted to animal anatomy. Transpositional acupuncture points have traditionally been placed in specific locations around the horse's coronet and distal limb believed to be the closest approximation to the human distal limb points. Because the horse has a single digit and lacks several structures analogous to the human hand and foot, precisely transposing all of the human digital points is not anatomically possible. To date there is no published research on the effect of acupuncture treatment of the equine distal limb points. This paper presents a modified approach to equine distal limb point selection based on what is known from research on other species about the neuroanatomic method of acupuncture. A rationale is presented for modification of traditional equine ting points as well as additional points around the hoof and distal limb that do not appear in the standard textbooks of equine acupuncture. The anatomy and physiology of the equine foot likely to be affected by acupuncture are briefly reviewed. Modified neuroanatomic points are proposed that may be more accurate as transpositional points. As an example of clinical application, a neuroanatomic approach to acupuncture treatment of equine laminitis is presented.
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Publication Date: 2012-09-17 PubMed ID: 26487033PubMed Central: PMC4494290DOI: 10.3390/ani2030455Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research article discusses a new approach to equine acupuncture that takes into account the unique anatomical structure of a horse’s distal thoracic limb. The researchers suggest modified acupuncture points that may provide a more accurate transposition of traditional human acupuncture points to horses, using a neuroanatomic method.

Background of the Research

  • A common technique in veterinary acupuncture is transposing human acupuncture points onto the corresponding areas of an animal’s anatomy.
  • However, the anatomical differences between horses and humans, particularly in the distal limb, make exact replication of human acupuncture points on a horse’s body difficult.
  • Despite the use of these transposed points in equine acupuncture, there hasn’t been any significant research published on the effects of equine distal limb points.
  • The researchers thus propose a modified approach to acupuncture for horses, specifically focusing on the animal’s distal thoracic limb.

Neuroanatomic Approach

  • This new approach considers neuroanatomic methods commonly used in clinical research.
  • It explores modifying equine ting points – i.e., points around the horse’s hoof and distal limb – which aren’t frequently discussed in standard veterinary acupuncture textbooks.
  • The authors review the anatomy and physiology of the equine hoof that may be influenced by such an acupuncture procedure.
  • They suggest that these modified neuroanatomic points could provide more accurate transpositional points for equine acupuncture.

Clinical Application

  • To demonstrate the practical application of this method, the researchers illustrate its usage in the treatment of equine laminitis, a common and severe disease of the horse’s foot.
  • The study proposes that using a neuroanatomic approach for this condition could yield more effective results, although further research is needed to substantiate these preliminary findings.

Cite This Article

APA
Lancaster LS, Bowker RM. (2012). Acupuncture Points of the Horse’s Distal Thoracic Limb: A Neuroanatomic Approach to the Transposition of Traditional Points. Animals (Basel), 2(3), 455-471. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani2030455

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 2
Issue: 3
Pages: 455-471

Researcher Affiliations

Lancaster, Lisa S
  • Medical Acupuncture for Veterinarians Course, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80525, USA. lvs@cosa.com.
Bowker, Robert M
  • Department of Pathobiology and Diagnostic Investigation, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, G205, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA. Bowker@cvm.msu.edu.

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