FREE SHIPPING over $40
OVER 9000 FIVE-STAR REVIEWS
5% OFF ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS
100% HAPPINESS GUARANTEE
Analyze Diet
0
Home / Equine Research Bank / Equine Vet J / Comparison of collagen fibril populations in the superficial...
Equine veterinary journal1997; 29(2); 121-125; doi: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.1997.tb01653.x

Comparison of collagen fibril populations in the superficial digital flexor tendons of exercised and nonexercised thoroughbreds.

Abstract: This study was undertaken to test the hypothesis that collagen fibrils, the submicroscopic units of strength in tendon, would hypertrophy in response to a specific defined training programme. Fibril diameters were measured in central and peripheral regions of superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) samples from five 18-month-old horses which underwent a subsequent 18 month training programme and 6 age- and sex-matched controls. Central region fibrils from the trained horses had a mass-average diameter (MAD) of 105.3 nm, which was significantly lower (P < 0.01) than that of 131.7 nm for the same region in the control horses. This reduction in fibril diameter in the region of tendon which is predisposed to injury was interpreted as evidence of microtrauma, as it implies the region is weakened by the training regimen. Repeated episodes of microtrauma may accumulate and eventually result in degenerative lesions and clinical tendonitis.
Get Full Text
Publication Date: 1997-03-01 PubMed ID: 9104561DOI: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.1997.tb01653.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
LinkedInCopy
  • Clinical Trial
  • Comparative Study
  • Journal Article
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support
  • Non-U.S. Gov't

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.

The research paper studies whether a specific type of protein structure called collagen fibrils, which are the building blocks for tendon strength, increase in size in response to a defined exercise regimen, using thoroughbred horses as subjects. The research results suggest that the exercise program actually reduces the diameter of these fibrils in areas prone to injury, leading to the conclusion that repeated training may weaken these areas and cause degenerative injuries or tendonitis over time.

Study design and hypothesis

  • The authors aimed to study whether a specific kind of exercise can trigger a response in the collagen fibrils, which are known to provide strength to tendons.
  • This study consisted of two groups of horses; one that underwent an 18-month training regimen and another group of the same age and gender, serving as a control group, that did not undergo training.
  • The collagen fibrils in the superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) in both the exercised and non-exercised horses were examined and compared.

Methodology and findings

  • The researchers measured the diameters of the collagen fibrils in central and peripheral regions of the SDFT in both groups.
  • The fibrils from the centre of the tendons in the horses that trained were found to have a lower average diameter than the fibrils in the same area in the non-exercised horses.

Interpretation and Conclusion

  • This difference in fibril diameter suggests that the region of the tendon which is prone to injury is weakened by the exercise program, as it was supposed to cause the fibrils to grow larger, but instead, they grew smaller.
  • The researchers interpret this as an indication of ‘microtrauma’ or small-scale damage accumulating over time.
  • They theorise that the repeated episodes of such microtrauma may lead to the development of degenerative lesions and clinical tendonitis.

Cite This Article

APA
Patterson-Kane JC, Wilson AM, Firth EC, Parry DA, Goodship AE. (1997). Comparison of collagen fibril populations in the superficial digital flexor tendons of exercised and nonexercised thoroughbreds. Equine Vet J, 29(2), 121-125. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-3306.1997.tb01653.x

Publication

Equine veterinary journal
ISSN: 0425-1644
NlmUniqueID: 0173320
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 29
Issue: 2
Pages: 121-125

Researcher Affiliations

Patterson-Kane, J C
  • Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand.
Wilson, A M
    Firth, E C
      Parry, D A
        Goodship, A E

          MeSH Terms

          • Aging / physiology
          • Animals
          • Collagen / analysis
          • Collagen / metabolism
          • Collagen / ultrastructure
          • Female
          • Horses / metabolism
          • Horses / physiology
          • Hypertrophy
          • Physical Conditioning, Animal / physiology
          • Sex Characteristics
          • Tendons / chemistry
          • Tendons / metabolism
          • Tendons / physiology

          Citations

          This article has been cited 16 times.
          1. Crawford KL, Finnane A, Greer RM, Barnes TS, Phillips CJC, Woldeyohannes SM, Bishop EL, Perkins NR, Ahern BJ. Survival Analysis of Training Methodologies and Other Risk Factors for Musculoskeletal Injury in 2-Year-Old Thoroughbred Racehorses in Queensland, Australia. Front Vet Sci 2021;8:698298.
            doi: 10.3389/fvets.2021.698298pubmed: 34796223google scholar: lookup
          2. Crawford KL, Finnane A, Phillips CJC, Greer RM, Woldeyohannes SM, Perkins NR, Kidd LJ, Ahern BJ. The Risk Factors for Musculoskeletal Injuries in Thoroughbred Racehorses in Queensland, Australia: How These Vary for Two-Year-Old and Older Horses and with Type of Injury. Animals (Basel) 2021 Jan 21;11(2).
            doi: 10.3390/ani11020270pubmed: 33494508google scholar: lookup
          3. Crawford KL, Finnane A, Greer RM, Phillips CJC, Woldeyohannes SM, Perkins NR, Ahern BJ. Appraising the Welfare of Thoroughbred Racehorses in Training in Queensland, Australia: The Incidence and Type of Musculoskeletal Injuries Vary between Two-Year-Old and Older Thoroughbred Racehorses. Animals (Basel) 2020 Nov 5;10(11).
            doi: 10.3390/ani10112046pubmed: 33167429google scholar: lookup
          4. Ribitsch I, Gueltekin S, Keith MF, Minichmair K, Peham C, Jenner F, Egerbacher M. Age-related changes of tendon fibril micro-morphology and gene expression. J Anat 2020 Apr;236(4):688-700.
            doi: 10.1111/joa.13125pubmed: 31792963google scholar: lookup
          5. Sizeland KH, Wells HC, Higgins J, Cunanan CM, Kirby N, Hawley A, Mudie ST, Haverkamp RG. Age dependent differences in collagen alignment of glutaraldehyde fixed bovine pericardium. Biomed Res Int 2014;2014:189197.
            doi: 10.1155/2014/189197pubmed: 25295250google scholar: lookup
          6. Kinugasa R, Oda T, Komatsu T, Edgerton VR, Sinha S. Interaponeurosis shear strain modulates behavior of myotendinous junction of the human triceps surae. Physiol Rep 2013 Nov;1(6):e00147.
            doi: 10.1002/phy2.147pubmed: 24400149google scholar: lookup
          7. Boesen AP, Dideriksen K, Couppé C, Magnusson SP, Schjerling P, Boesen M, Kjaer M, Langberg H. Tendon and skeletal muscle matrix gene expression and functional responses to immobilisation and rehabilitation in young males: effect of growth hormone administration. J Physiol 2013 Dec 1;591(23):6039-52.
            doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.2013.261263pubmed: 24081158google scholar: lookup
          8. Rich T, Henderson LB, Becker DL, Cornell H, Patterson-Kane JC. Indicators of replicative damage in equine tendon fibroblast monolayers. BMC Vet Res 2013 Sep 11;9:180.
            doi: 10.1186/1746-6148-9-180pubmed: 24025445google scholar: lookup
          9. Waugh CM, Blazevich AJ, Fath F, Korff T. Age-related changes in mechanical properties of the Achilles tendon. J Anat 2012 Feb;220(2):144-55.
            doi: 10.1111/j.1469-7580.2011.01461.xpubmed: 22150089google scholar: lookup
          10. Kinugasa R, Hodgson JA, Edgerton VR, Shin DD, Sinha S. Reduction in tendon elasticity from unloading is unrelated to its hypertrophy. J Appl Physiol (1985) 2010 Sep;109(3):870-7.
            doi: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00384.2010pubmed: 20616227google scholar: lookup
          11. Magnusson SP, Narici MV, Maganaris CN, Kjaer M. Human tendon behaviour and adaptation, in vivo. J Physiol 2008 Jan 1;586(1):71-81.
            doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.2007.139105pubmed: 17855761google scholar: lookup
          12. Firth EC. The response of bone, articular cartilage and tendon to exercise in the horse. J Anat 2006 Apr;208(4):513-26.
            doi: 10.1111/j.1469-7580.2006.00547.xpubmed: 16637875google scholar: lookup
          13. Hosoyamada Y, Kurihara H, Sakai T. Ultrastructural localisation and size distribution of collagen fibrils in Glisson's sheath of rat liver: implications for mechanical environment and possible producing cells. J Anat 2000 Apr;196 ( Pt 3)(Pt 3):327-40.
            doi: 10.1046/j.1469-7580.2000.19630327.xpubmed: 10853955google scholar: lookup
          14. Gsell KY, Kreplak L, Veres SP. In tendons, differing physiological requirements lead to distinct patterns of MMP-1 degradation. Sci Rep 2025 Dec 23;16(1):2420.
            doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-32374-3pubmed: 41436551google scholar: lookup
          15. Choi Y, Parkin T. Risk factors for superficial digital flexor tendinopathy in Thoroughbred racehorses in South Korea (2015-2019). Equine Vet J 2026 Jan;58(1):31-39.
            doi: 10.1111/evj.14493pubmed: 40104935google scholar: lookup
          16. Bloom ET, Lin LM, Locke RC, Giordani A, Krassan E, Peloquin JM, Silbernagel KG, Parreno J, Santare MH, Killian ML, Elliott DM. Overload in a Rat In Vivo Model of Synergist Ablation Induces Tendon Multiscale Structural and Functional Degeneration. J Biomech Eng 2023 Aug 1;145(8).
            doi: 10.1115/1.4062523pubmed: 37184932google scholar: lookup
          Subscribe to our newsletter
          Join 99,107 horse owners like you who receive our email updates on horse health and nutrition.