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Topic:Joint Health
Joint health in horses involves the study of anatomical structures such as cartilage, synovial fluid, ligaments, and bones that contribute to the function and mobility of equine joints. Research in this area focuses on understanding the physiology of equine joints, the mechanisms of joint disorders, and the effects of wear and tear over time. Common joint issues in horses include osteoarthritis, synovitis, and joint effusion, which can impact performance and quality of life. Diagnostic techniques often involve imaging, synovial fluid analysis, and clinical evaluation to assess joint condition. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the anatomy, pathology, diagnostics, and therapeutic approaches related to joint health in horses.
Iontophoresis of dexamethosone-phosphate into the equine tibiotarsal joint. In human rehabilitation medicine, dexamethasone-phosphate is theoretically iontophoresed to localized subcutaneous tissue where conversion to dexamethasone occurs. This delivery system has recently been introduced into veterinary medicine for the same purpose. However, the pharmacokinetic justification for parenteral delivery of this prodrug remains undocumented. Utilizing iontophoretic methods that are relevant to both human and veterinary clinical practice, the present investigation compared injection and iontophoresis of dexamethasone-phosphate into the equine tibiotarsal joint, also known ...
Qualitative and quantitative documentation of the racing performance of 461 Thoroughbred racehorses after arthroscopic removal of dorsoproximal first phalanx osteochondral fractures (1986-1995). The purpose of this study was to examine the longevity of postoperative careers and quality of performance of 461 Thoroughbred racehorses after arthroscopic removal of dorsoproximal first phalanx (P1) osteochondral fractures. Six hundred and 59 dorsoproximal P1 chip fractures were removed arthroscopically from 574 joints in 461 horses presented for lameness or decreased performance attributed to the chip fractures. Radiological and arthroscopic examination revealed an average of 1.43 fragment sites/horse, 1.15 fragment sites/joint and 1.25 affected joints/horse. Eighty-nine percent of the hors...
Metalloproteinases and tumor necrosis factor-alpha activities in synovial fluids of horses: correlation with articular cartilage alterations. Early detection of osteoarthritis in horses represents a challenge for equine practitioners. Several biological markers have been implicated in the pathological processes involved in articular cartilage destruction. To further document cartilage matrix proteases production, synovial fluid was collected from 14 horses (90 joints) before they were subjected to euthanasia. Growth macroscopic examination of the joints gave information on cartilage alterations. Samples were analyzed for matrix metalloproteinase (MMPs) activities by gelatin zymography and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) cyto...
Ultrasonographic evaluation of tarsocrural joint cartilage in normal adult horses. Ultrasonographic examination of the tarsus was performed on four clinically and radiographically normal limbs of adult horses. Particular attention was paid to the articular cartilage surfaces of the trochlear ridges of the talus and the distal intermediate ridge of the tibia. Two separate measurements of articular cartilage thickness were acquired from a longitudinal view at each site. Anatomy was confirmed with post mortem dissection. Ultrasonography was found to be a practical method for imaging the articular cartilage over the trochlear ridges of the talus and distal intermediate ridge of ...
An evaluation of chemical arthrodesis of the proximal interphalangeal joint in the horse by using monoiodoacetate. The use of monoiodoacetate (MIA) for arthrodesis of the proximal interphalangeal joint (PIJ) and the effect of exercise on the degree of fusion were investigated. Eight horses received 3 injections (Weeks 0, 3, 6) of MIA (2 mL; 60 mg/mL) into the right or left front PIJ. Peri-operatively, the horses received phenylbutazone, butorphanol, and abaxial sesamoidean nerve blocks to relieve pain. During the study, the horses were monitored for general health, lameness, and swelling around the injection area. Radiographs were taken biweekly to evaluate bony fusion. Horses were randomly divided into no...
Evaluation of gene therapy as a treatment for equine traumatic arthritis and osteoarthritis. Joint disease in horses and in humans is a significant social and economic problem and continued research and improvements in therapeutics are needed. Because horses have naturally occurring osteoarthritis that is similar to that of humans, the horse was chosen as a species to investigate gene transfer as a potential therapeutic modality for the treatment of osteoarthritis. Using an established model of equine osteoarthritis, the therapeutic effects resulting from overexpression the equine interleukin-1 receptor antagonist gene sequence through adenoviral mediated gene transfer was investigate...
Clinical effects of exercise on subchondral bone of carpal and metacarpophalangeal joints in horses. To determine effects of treadmill exercise on subchondral bone of carpal and metacarpophalangeal joints of 2-year-old horses. Methods: 12 healthy 2-year-old horses. Methods: Horses were randomly assigned to the control (n = 6) or exercised (6) groups. Horses in the exercised group ran on a high-speed treadmill 5 d/wk for 6 months. Horses in the control group were hand walked for the same amount of time. Results of clinical, radiographic, nuclear scintigraphic, and computed tomographic examinations, and serum and synovial concentrations of biochemical markers of bone metabolism were compared be...
Evidence supporting an increased presence of reactive oxygen species in the diseased equine joint. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are capable of degrading many components of the joint in the presence of insufficient antioxidant defences, and as a result have been implicated in the pathogenesis of joint disease in horses. However, to our knowledge, evidence of ROS occurring in diseased joints of horses has not been reported. The objective of this experiment was to compare differences in synovial fluid protein carbonyl content (as a marker of oxidative modification of synovial fluid proteins by ROS) and the antioxidant status of synovial fluid between clinically normal and diseased equine join...
Clinical experiences of treating septic arthritis in the equine by repeated joint lavage: a series of 39 cases. The condition of septic arthritis was treated in 12 foals with 21 affected joints (Group I) and in 27 adult horses. The adult horses were divided into three groups, based on aetiology of the condition: haematogenous (Group II, n = 6), iatrogenic (Group III, n = 6), and perforating trauma (Group IV, n = 15). The treatment consisted of an initial systemic antibiotic that anticipated the microbial agents that were considered most likely per group, repeated through-and-through joint lavages every other day and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The antibiotics were adjusted to the results of b...
The effect of exercise on the distribution and manifestation of osteochondrotic lesions in the Warmblood foal. Osteochondrosis (OC) in the horse has been defined as a disturbance in the process of endochondral ossification which is of multifactorial origin, becoming evident in a large number of joints. Exercise is one of the environmental factors that may influence the clinical manifestation of the disorder, but has never been thoroughly investigated. In this study we investigated the influence of exercise during the first 5 months on the development and distribution of OC lesions in foals of age 5 and 11 months. Forty-three foals, all from sires having OC in either the femoropatellar or tibiotarsal jo...
The influence of birth weight, rate of weight gain and final achieved height and sex on the development of osteochondrotic lesions in a population of genetically predisposed Warmblood foals. The influence of inherent variables (sex, birth weight, final achieved height, monthly weight gain rates and osteochondrosis (OC) status of the parents) on the occurrence of osteochondrotic lesions in the femoropatellar and tarsocrural joints in a group of foals was investigated as part of a research project aimed at the study of the development of osteochondrosis and the influence of exercise on the development of the musculoskeletal system in Warmbloods. The foals were genetically predisposed to develop OC, being offspring of sires that all had radiographically proven OC in either the femoro...
Changes in proteoglycan metabolism in osteochondrotic articular cartilage of growing foals. In osteochondrosis (OC) the process of endochondral ossification is impaired. Proteoglycans form one of the major components of the extracellular matrix of cartilage and are able to bind calcium. For this reason, proteoglycans are thought to play an important role early in the mineralisation process and may, therefore, be important in the pathogenesis of OC. To investigate possible differences in proteoglycan metabolism, normal and osteochondrotic articular-epiphyseal cartilage was harvested from the hock and stifle joints of 43 foals age 5 and 11 months. The samples were cultured as explants ...
Determination of synovial fluid and serum concentrations, and morphologic effects of intraarticular ceftiofur sodium in horses. To determine the serum and synovial fluid concentrations of ceftiofur sodium after intraarticular (IA) and intravenous (IV) administration and to evaluate the morphologic changes after intraarticular ceftiofur sodium administration. Methods: Strip plot design for the ceftiofur sodium serum and synovial fluid concentrations and a split plot design for the cytologic and histopathologic evaluation. Methods: Six healthy adult horses without lameness. Methods: Stage 1: Ceftiofur sodium (2.2 mg/kg) was administered IV. Stage 2: 150 mg (3 mL) of ceftiofur sodium (pHavg 6.57) was administered IA into ...
Treatment of traumatically induced synovial sepsis in horses with gentamicin-impregnated collagen sponges. Eight horses with synovial sepsis induced by trauma were treated by arthroscopic/tenoscopic debridement and lavage followed by the implantation of a gentamicin-impregnated collagen sponge. Seven of them responded favourably and were sound six months after treatment. The other underwent a further surgical procedure and recovered. Gentamicin-impregnated collagen sponges appear to be a safe and useful adjunct in the treatment of septic joints and tendon sheaths, and have the advantage of being bioabsorbable.
The forelimb in walking horses: 2. Net joint moments and joint powers. The objective was to measure the net joint moments and joint powers for the joints of the equine forelimb during the walk. Videographic and force data were combined with morphometric information using an inverse dynamics method. During stance phase the predominant joint moment was on the palmar aspect of all forelimb joints except the shoulder, where the peak moment was considerably higher than at any other joint. The entire forelimb showed net energy absorption in both stance and swing phases. The elbow was the only joint that showed net generation of energy, which was used to maintain the li...
Comparison of Northern blot hybridization and a reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction technique for measurement of mRNA expression of metalloproteinases and matrix components in articular cartilage and synovial membrane from horses with osteoarthritis. To determine relative amounts of mRNA expression of aggrecan, type-II collagen, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 1, and MMP3 in articular cartilage and synovial membrane samples from healthy equine joints and joints with osteoarthritis (OA) and to compare results of Northern blot hybridization with results of a reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay. Methods: Articular cartilage samples from 8 pairs of joints (1 with OA and 1 healthy) from 6 horses and synovial membrane samples from 6 pairs of joints from 5 horses. Methods: RNA was extracted from samples by use of a modif...
Differences in the concentration of various synovial fluid constituents between the distal interphalangeal joint, the metacarpophalangeal joint and the navicular bursa in normal horses. As a prerequisite for the identification of navicular disease markers, the concentrations of cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP), total glycosaminoglycans (GAG), hyaluronan, metalloproteinases (MMP) 2 and 9 and total protein were measured in synovial fluid samples obtained from the distal interphalangeal joint (DIP), the metacarpophalangeal joint (MCP) and the navicular bursa of 24 horses. Mean GAG, COMP and total protein levels were significantly higher in the DIP joint and in the navicular bursa compared to the MCP joint. Hyaluronan content was lower. MMP -2 activity was present in al...
Evaluation of samarium-153 for synovectomy in an osteochondral fragment-induced model of synovitis in horses. To determine the effects of intraarticular administration of Samarium-153 (153Sm) bound to hydroxyapatite microspheres (153SmM) on an osteochondral chip-induced synovitis. Methods: Sixty days after implantation of autogenous osteochondral fragments in the middle carpal and metacarpophalangeal joints, 153SmM was administered into 1 joint of each type. The contralateral joints were used as untreated controls. Methods: Fifteen horses without preexisting joint disease were randomly divided into 2 groups (7 in the carpal group, 8 in the metacarpophalangeal group). Methods: Horses had osteochondral ...
Concrete use of the joint coordinate system for the quantification of articular rotations in the digital joints of the horse. A method is detailed allowing the computation of three-dimensional (3D) joint angles. Each joint of the equine digit is modelled as a sequence of three single axis rotary joints. The Joint Coordinate System was used; it involves a specific sequence of cardanic angles. The decomposition of the angles was chosen so that the three elementary angles coincide with the flexion/extension, passive abduction/adduction and lateral/medial rotations. The algorithms and kinematic procedures were described for the equine front digital joints. This method was tested in vitro on four forelimbs. For each limb,...
Vacuum phenomenon in equine carpal, metacarpophalangeal and metatarsophalangeal joints. In order to establish the incidence of vacuum phenomenon in horses' carpal, metacarpophalangeal and metatarsophalangeal joints, stress-flexed radiographs were made of normal joints, joints with known pathology and in anaesthetised horses with joints under traction. Focal intra-articular radiolucencies were identified in normal stress-flexed carpal, metacarpophalangeal and metatarsophalangeal joints. These radiolucencies can be confused with those associated with pathological conditions.
Concentrations of substance P and prostaglandin E2 in synovial fluid of normal and abnormal joints of horses. To correlate substance P content of synovial fluid with prostaglandin E2 content, radiographic evidence of joint abnormality, and anatomic location of the joint for normal and osteoarthritic joints of horses. Methods: Synovial fluid from 46 normal joints in 21 horses and 16 osteoarthritic joints in 10 horses. Methods: Normal and osteoarthritic joints were identified by clinical and radiographic examination, by response to nerve blocks, during scintigraphy or surgery, or by clinicopathologic evaluation. Substance P and prostaglandin E2 contents of synovial fluid were determined by radioimmunoas...
Spontaneous production of nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin (PGE2) and neutral metalloproteinases (NMPs) in media of explant cultures of equine synovial membrane and articular cartilage from normal and osteoarthritic joints. Nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), and the activity of neutral metalloproteinases (NMPs) were measured in conditioned media of equine synovial membrane and articular cartilage explant cultures from horses with normal joints (n = 7) and from horses affected with moderate (n = 7) or severe osteoarthritis (n = 14) as judged by macroscopic appearance. Normal articular cartilage appeared glossy and bluish-white, was of normal thickness and showed no evidence of discolouration, fibrillation or other cartilage discontinuity. Slight discolouration and fibrillation or minor clefts of the carti...
Arthrodesis of the proximal interphalangeal joint affected with septic arthritis in 8 horses. Arthrodesis was performed to treat septic arthritis of the proximal interphalangeal joint of 8 horses. Records of the horses were reviewed to determine outcome and possible factors that influenced success or failure. All horses were female. Seven horses had 1 joint treated and 1 horse was treated for bilateral pelvic limb involvement. The duration of sepsis before surgery ranged from 1 to 66 days. Bone lysis and production was radiographically apparent in 7 horses before surgery. Six horses had multiple bacterial organisms cultured from bone or synovial tissues; 2 horses had single isolates id...
Net joint moments and joint powers in horses with superficial digital flexor tendinitis. To determine whether analysis of net joint moments and joint powers is a suitable technique for evaluation of mechanics and energetics of lameness in horses and to measure effects of superficial digital flexor tendinitis. Methods: 6 sound horses. Methods: Horses were evaluated before (sound evaluation) and after (lame evaluation) induction of superficial digital flexor tendinitis in 1 forelimb by injection of collagenase. Recordings were made with an optoelectronic system and a force plate as horses trotted. Net joint moments and joint powers in the sagittal plane at each joint in the forelimb...
Postoperative performance of racing horses with tearing of the medial palmar intercarpal ligament. To examine the relationship between medial palmar intercarpal ligament (MPICL) tearing and postoperative performance in racing horses. Methods: The postoperative performance of 42 horses in which the midcarpal joint was examined arthroscopically was followed prospectively. Intra-articular variables examined were the severity of MPICL tearing, subchondral bone damage and articular cartilage damage. Using a scoring system based on the class of race and the position in the race, a mean score was calculated for up to five races before and after surgery. The preoperative score was subtracted from t...
The use of a polypropylene mesh for treatment of ruptured collateral ligaments of the equine metatarsophalangeal joint: a report of two cases. The prognosis of ruptured collateral ligaments of the metacarpophalangeal or metatarsophalangeal joint in horses is usually considered to be poor, especially for future athletic performance. The main problem is the development, due to joint instability, of osteoarthritis, which may result in persistent lameness. In this paper a surgical technique is described in which joint stabilisation is realised by using a polypropylene mesh as a substitute for the ruptured ligaments, with the subsequent application of a cast for 7 weeks. The technique was successfully performed in 2 horses with ruptured l...
Influence of development and joint pathology on stromelysin enzyme activity in equine synovial fluid. To investigate the role of stromelysin (MMP-3) activity in synovial fluid (SF) at different stages of development and in common joint disorders in the horse. Methods: Stromelysin activity was determined with a fluorogenic enzyme activity assay in SF of normal joints of fetal, juvenile and adult horses, and in SF of horses suffering from the developmental orthopaedic disease osteochondrosis (OC) or osteoarthritis (OA). Additionally, MMP-3 activity was expressed as a ratio of previously reported general MMP activity in the same SF samples. Results: The levels of active stromelysin were 30-fold t...
Equine carpal articular cartilage fibronectin distribution associated with training, joint location and cartilage deterioration. Processes involved in equine carpal osteochondral injury have not been established. In other species, fibronectin appears important in chondrocyte-matrix interactions, and levels are increased in osteoarthritis. This investigation aimed to (a) describe fibronectin immunoreactivity in the middle carpal joint of 2-year-old Thoroughbreds, (b) determine topographical variations, (c) compare strenuously trained (Group 1) or gently exercised horses (Group 2) and (d) describe sites with early osteoarthritis. Group 1 (n = 6) underwent a 19 week high intensity treadmill training programme. Group 2 (n =...
Nerve block and intra-articular anaesthesia of the forelimb in the sound horse. Nerve blocks and intra-articular anaesthesia are used extensively as routine methods in lameness evaluation. The method is based on the assumption that the technique itself does not change the movement pattern. The aim of this study was to carry out a quantitative kinematic study to confirm or reject the hypothesis that high palmar digital nerve block (HPDN) and intra-articular fetlock joint anaesthesia (IAF) influence significantly the movement pattern of the horse. Seven Standardbred horses trotting at 4.5 m/s were recorded at 240 Hz on a treadmill before and after anaesthesia by use of a Pr...
