Clinical effects of exercise on subchondral bone of carpal and metacarpophalangeal joints in horses.
Abstract: 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 between groups. Results: Exercised horses were significantly lamer at the end of the study than control horses. Radionuclide uptake in the metacarpal condyles, but not in the carpal joints, was greater in exercised horses, compared with control horses. Exercised horses also had a higher subchondral bone density in the metacarpal condyles than control horses, but such differences were not detected in the carpal bones. Conclusions: None of the diagnostic techniques evaluated was sufficiently sensitive to detect all osteochondral damage. Computed tomography and computed tomographic osteoabsorptiometry were superior to conventional radiography for detecting small osteochondral fragments. Nuclear scintigraphy was a sensitive indicator of subchondral bone change but lacked specificity for describing lesions and discerning normal bone remodeling from damage. Newer techniques such as computed tomography may help clinicians better diagnose early and subtle joint lesions in horses prior to development of gross joint damage.
Publication Date: 2000-10-20 PubMed ID: 11039557DOI: 10.2460/ajvr.2000.61.1252Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research explores the impact of treadmill exercise on the subchondral bone of the carpal and metacarpophalangeal joints in 2-year-old horses, highlighting changes in bone density and lameness in exercised horses compared to control group.
Experimental Design
- Twelve healthy two-year-old horses were randomly assigned into two groups: exercised (6 horses) and control (6 horses).
- The exercise group underwent high-speed treadmill training five days a week for six months.
- The control group were hand-walked for the same duration as the exercised group.
- Various diagnostic evaluations were performed including clinical examinations, radiographic tests, nuclear scintigraphic, and computed tomographic examinations.
- Levels of biochemical markers indicating bone metabolism were compared between groups in both serum and synovial concentrations.
Results
- Exercised horses showed higher instances of lameness towards the end of study compared to control horses.
- Radionuclide uptake was greater in the metacarpal condyles of exercised horses; this was however not the case for carpal joints.
- High subchondral bone density was observed in the metacarpal condyles of exercised horses unlike those in control group. There were no observable differences in the carpal bones.
Conclusions
- The diagnostic techniques used were insufficiently sensitive to identify all osteochondral damage.
- Computed tomography and computed tomographic osteoabsorptiometry were better than conventional radiography techniques in detecting small osteochondral fragments.
- Nuclear scintigraphy was helpful in illustrating subchondral bone changes but lacked specificity in describing lesions and distinguishing between normal bone remodeling and damage.
- Advanced diagnostic procedures like computed tomography may potentially assist clinicians to diagnose early and subtle joint lesions in horses before significant joint damage develops.
Cite This Article
APA
Kawcak CE, McIlwraith CW, Norrdin RW, Park RD, Steyn PS.
(2000).
Clinical effects of exercise on subchondral bone of carpal and metacarpophalangeal joints in horses.
Am J Vet Res, 61(10), 1252-1258.
https://doi.org/10.2460/ajvr.2000.61.1252 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins 80523, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Carpus, Animal / anatomy & histology
- Carpus, Animal / diagnostic imaging
- Exercise Test
- Horses / anatomy & histology
- Physical Conditioning, Animal / physiology
- Radionuclide Imaging
- Random Allocation
- Stress, Mechanical
Citations
This article has been cited 12 times.- Steel C, Ahern B, Zedler S, Vallance S, Galuppo L, Richardson J, Whitton C, Young A. Comparison of Radiography and Computed Tomography for Evaluation of Third Carpal Bone Fractures in Horses.. Animals (Basel) 2023 Apr 25;13(9).
- Panizzi L, Dittmer KE, Vignes M, Doucet JS, Gedye K, Waterland MR, Rogers CW, Sano H, McIlwraith CW, Riley CB. Plasma and Synovial Fluid Cell-Free DNA Concentrations Following Induction of Osteoarthritis in Horses.. Animals (Basel) 2023 Mar 14;13(6).
- Zamith Cunha R, Zannoni A, Salamanca G, De Silva M, Rinnovati R, Gramenzi A, Forni M, Chiocchetti R. Expression of cannabinoid (CB1 and CB2) and cannabinoid-related receptors (TRPV1, GPR55, and PPARα) in the synovial membrane of the horse metacarpophalangeal joint.. Front Vet Sci 2023;10:1045030.
- Rouette J, Cockram MS, Sanchez J, MacMillan KM. Musculoskeletal injuries in Standardbred racehorses on Prince Edward Island.. Can Vet J 2021 Sep;62(9):987-993.
- Bertoni L, Jacquet-Guibon S, Branly T, Legendre F, Desancé M, Mespoulhes C, Melin M, Hartmann DJ, Schmutz A, Denoix JM, Galéra P, Demoor M, Audigié F. An experimentally induced osteoarthritis model in horses performed on both metacarpophalangeal and metatarsophalangeal joints: Technical, clinical, imaging, biochemical, macroscopic and microscopic characterization.. PLoS One 2020;15(6):e0235251.
- Yamada ALM, Pinheiro M, Marsiglia MF, Hagen SCF, Baccarin RYA, da Silva LCLC. Ultrasound and clinical findings in the metacarpophalangeal joint assessment of show jumping horses in training.. J Vet Sci 2020 May;21(3):e21.
- Stewart HL, Kawcak CE. The Importance of Subchondral Bone in the Pathophysiology of Osteoarthritis.. Front Vet Sci 2018;5:178.
- Liley H, Zhang J, Firth EC, Fernandez JW, Besier TF. Statistical modeling of the equine third metacarpal bone incorporating morphology and bone mineral density.. PLoS One 2018;13(6):e0194406.
- Hopper N, Singer E, Henson F. Increased sclerostin associated with stress fracture of the third metacarpal bone in the Thoroughbred racehorse.. Bone Joint Res 2018 Jan;7(1):94-102.
- Pinchbeck GL, Clegg PD, Boyde A, Barr ED, Riggs CM. Horse-, training- and race-level risk factors for palmar/plantar osteochondral disease in the racing Thoroughbred.. Equine Vet J 2013 Sep;45(5):582-6.
- Merritt JS, Davies HM, Burvill C, Pandy MG. Influence of muscle-tendon wrapping on calculations of joint reaction forces in the equine distal forelimb.. J Biomed Biotechnol 2008;2008:165730.
- Firth EC. The response of bone, articular cartilage and tendon to exercise in the horse.. J Anat 2006 Apr;208(4):513-26.
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