Compressive fatigue life of subchondral bone of the metacarpal condyle in thoroughbred racehorses.
Abstract: In racehorses, fatigue related subchondral bone injury leads to overt fracture or articular surface collapse and subsequent articular cartilage degeneration. We hypothesised that the fatigue behaviour of equine subchondral bone in compression follows a power law function similar to that observed in cortical and trabecular bone. We determined the fatigue life of equine metacarpal subchondral bone in-vitro and investigated the factors influencing initial bone stiffness. Subchondral bone specimens were loaded cyclically in compression [54MPa (n=6), 66MPa (n=6), 78MPa (n=5), and 90MPa (n=6)] until failure. The fatigue life curve was determined by linear regression from log transformed number of cycles to failure and load. A general linear model was used to investigate the influence of the following variables on initial Young's Modulus: age (4-8years), specimen storage time (31-864days), time in training since most recent rest period (6-32weeks), limb, actual density (1.6873-1.8684g/cm(3)), subchondral bone injury grade (0-3), and cause of death (fatigue injury vs. other). Number of cycles to failure was (median, range) 223,603, 78,316-806,792 at 54MPa; 69,908, 146-149,855 at 66MPa; 13204, 614-16,425 at 78MPa (n=3); and 4001, 152-11,568 at 90MPa. The fatigue life curve was σ=112.2-9.6 log10Nf, (R(2)=0.52, P<0.001), where Nf is number of cycles to failure and σ is load. Removal of the three horses with the highest SCBI grade resulted in: σ=134.2-14.1 log10Nf, (R(2)=0.72, P<0.001). Initial Young's Modulus (mean±SD) was 2500±494MPa (n=22). Actual density (ρ) was the only variable retained in the model to describe initial Young's Modulus (E): E=-8196.7+5880.6ρ, (R(2)=0.34, P=0.0044). The fatigue behaviour of equine subchondral bone in compression is similar to that of cortical and trabecular bone. These data can be used to model the development of SCBI to optimize training regimes.
© 2013.
Publication Date: 2013-09-21 PubMed ID: 24063945DOI: 10.1016/j.bone.2013.09.006Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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This research article investigates the strength and fatigue life of a specific type of bone in racehorses known as subchondral bone. The researchers found a correlation between the fatigue life of this bone and certain factors like density, and concluded that the findings could be used to improve training regimes in racehorses.
Objective of the Research
- The primary goal of this study was to understand how the subchondral bone in racehorses behaves under repeated stress or fatigue. The specific focus was on the bone of the metacarpal condyle, an area prone to injuries in racehorses.
- The researchers hypothesized that the fatigue behavior of this bone in compression would follow a pattern similar to that found in other types of bone (cortical and trabecular), adhering to a power law function.
Research Procedure
- Specimens of the subchondral bone were cyclically loaded under different compressions until they failed or broke.
- The number of cycles to failure and load were logged and the fatigue life curve was determined through linear regression.
- Multiple factors were investigated to determine their impact on the initial stiffness of the bone (Young’s Modulus). These factors included age, storage time of the specimens, training duration, limb source of the specimen, actual bone density, subchondral bone injury grade, and cause of death (in case of post-mortem specimens).
Results and Findings
- The number of cycles it took for the bone to fail varied according to the amount of load or compression applied.
- The fatigue life curve was determined, showing a correlation between the number of cycles to failure and the load. When the data was adjusted to remove outliers (horses with high subchondral bone injury grades), the correlation became stronger.
- The actual density of the bone was found to be the only variable impacting the initial stiffness of the bone. A model was established to describe this relationship.
- The fatigue behavior of the subchondral bone under compression was found to be similar to that of cortical and trabecular bone, thus validating the initial hypothesis.
Implication and Application of the Research
- The results of this study can be used in understanding the development of subchondral bone injury in racehorses.
- This data could help in optimizing training regimes and potentially prevent stress-induced injuries in these animals.
Cite This Article
APA
Martig S, Lee PV, Anderson GA, Whitton RC.
(2013).
Compressive fatigue life of subchondral bone of the metacarpal condyle in thoroughbred racehorses.
Bone, 57(2), 392-398.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bone.2013.09.006 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Faculty of Veterinary Science, The University of Melbourne, 250 Princes Highway, Werribee, VIC 3030, Australia. Electronic address: smartig@unimelb.edu.au.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Compressive Strength
- Elastic Modulus
- Horses
- Metacarpal Bones / physiopathology
- Weight-Bearing
Citations
This article has been cited 4 times.- Pearce DJ, Hitchens PL, Malekipour F, Ayodele B, Lee PVS, Whitton RC. Biomechanical and Microstructural Properties of Subchondral Bone From Three Metacarpophalangeal Joint Sites in Thoroughbred Racehorses.. Front Vet Sci 2022;9:923356.
- Morrice-West AV, Hitchens PL, Walmsley EA, Tasker K, Lim SL, Smith AD, Whitton RC. Relationship between Thoroughbred workloads in racing and the fatigue life of equine subchondral bone.. Sci Rep 2022 Jul 7;12(1):11528.
- Palmer AL, Rogers CW, Stafford KJ, Gal A, Bolwell CF. Risk-Factors for Soft-Tissue Injuries, Lacerations and Fractures During Racing in Greyhounds in New Zealand.. Front Vet Sci 2021;8:737146.
- Legg KA, Gee EK, Cochrane DJ, Rogers CW. Preliminary Examination of the Biological and Industry Constraints on the Structure and Pattern of Thoroughbred Racing in New Zealand over Thirteen Seasons: 2005/06-2017/18.. Animals (Basel) 2021 Sep 27;11(10).
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