5 Elements & Sports Injuries

Did you listen into  the show this morning about Sports Injuries ? Here is a quick review of what Glenn & I talked about on the TCVM segment on Horses in the Morning. 
 
Spring is here ! so even though we may not be out showing due to the lock down, we are still training out horses. Horses that have been cooped up in barns and indoor arenas are heading out on training/trail rides and are experiencing varying terrain like mud, partially frozen ground and pavement. During this transition from winter rest to spring training horses can suffer varying degrees of sports injuries...muscle pain, tendon strain, GI ulcers and chronic arthritis can flare.
 
In Chinese medicine we use the 5 Element theory to help us group symptoms, exam findings and previous history into patterns to help us come up with a treatment and prevention strategy. Knowing your horse’s constitution can give you a clue as to what injuries they are prone to and help you take actions to prevent them. 
 
We have talked about the personalities as they relate to the 5 Elements for behavior. Now we will look at the organs and tissues associated with each.

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So once we know our horses constitution we can see what their weakness is and try to develop training techniques & routines to help them be their best and hopefully avoid training stress and injury. 
 
Wood and Fire are Yang elements - Extroverts. They are high energy athletes. I always think high level eventers must all be wood….what other personality could jump that log over the ditch at Rolex ! They are going to go no matter what. Their muscle might be sore & they may be tired but they are going. Muscle fatigue causes extra stress on the tendons, along with a higher level of athletic achievement, we may see more tendon injuries in Wood horses. Fire horses make great race horses but are prone to bleeding because they have huge hearts both physically & mentally. 
 
Earth is a transitional element with Yin & Yang qualities, while Metal and Water are Yin...so introverts. They may need extra care to reach their athletic potential. They are not the type to push through the pain & when they are fatigued, they will stop or avoid work. 
 
Qi Performance herbal formula can help Yin type horses because it tonifies Qi and Blood so speeds up metabolism and oxygenates the tissues. It also has herbs that move Qi & Blood to reduce Stagnation ie (Pain) and  nourish tissues to speed healing/turnover.

• Dang Gui - Angelica - Woman's ginseng - Blood
• Dang Shen - Condonopsis - Poor man's ginseng - Qi
• Feng Hua Fen - Bee Pollen - Qi, Jing, nutrients
• Shan Zha - Chinese Hawthorn Berry - Stimulates appetite & increases blood flow and contractility of the heart

It is not a good choice for Yang horses - Fire/Wood because it will increase blood pressure and may make them too bold.

Trivia - Hawthorn berry is the main ingredient in sweet & sour sauce !

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Qi Performance Herbal formula:

Available in

• ​90g powder for Horses and large dogs
• 0.5 g capsules for Dogs

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Dosage 
​Horses - 3 g twice a day (2 large scoops) 
​Dog - 0.5 g per 20-40 lbs of body weight twice per day


Ingredients : Bai Shao Yao (Paeonia), Dang Gui (Angelica), Huang Qi (Astragalus), Dang Shen (Condonopsis), Feng Hua Fen (Bee Pollen), Mu Dan Pi (Moutan), Shan Zha (Crataegus), He Shou Wu (Polygonum), Licorice (Gan Cao) 

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