A one-health lens offers new perspectives on the importance of endocrine disorders in the equine athlete.

The research discusses the association between endocrine disorders and orthopedic injuries in equine athletes and suggests a one-health approach for better understanding and treatment. With this approach, the study explores common equine endocrine disorders, the role of diet, genetic factors, and their impact on performance.

Understanding Endocrine Disorders in Equine Athletes

• The research discusses the impact of endocrine disorders on athletic horses, observing that these disorders trigger joint pain and tendon injuries, similar to humans. However, the research indicates that understanding these impacts on horses is still in primary stages.
• This article also explores the potential correlations between orthopedic and endocrine ailments in horses, emphasizing a cross-species, one-health approach for studying these health issues.
• The research delves into common endocrine disorders in equines, diagnostic tests currently being used, and the role of a horse’s diet in managing these conditions. Furthermore, the authors review the genetic variables that can predispose a horse to endocrine problems.

The Effect on Performance and Identified Knowledge gaps

• The authors illuminate how these endocrine disorders affect an equine athlete’s performance. It addresses some of the critical knowledge gaps in comprehending the relationship between these disorders and musculoskeletal diseases in horses. For instance, the paper raises questions about the existence of metabolic osteoarthritis in horses, the safety of steroid joint injections for horses with endocrine disorders, and whether the rate of returning to performance improves by concurrently treating endocrine and skeletal disorders.

Implications of the Research and Key Takeaways

• One of the main conclusions the authors draw from their analysis is that endocrine disorders’ effects on musculoskeletal health in horses extend beyond laminitis, affecting features such as lameness, muscle atrophy, and degeneration of the suspensory ligament, among others.
• The paper also suggests that insights gleaned from comparative studies between humans and equines could enhance injury recognition and management, thereby diminishing endocrine disorders’ influence on performance across species.
• The research encourages an in-depth understanding of current and future research on pathophysiology, novel interventions, and multiomic strategies for identifying individuals with athletic limitations caused by endocrine disorders.