Determination of the stiffness of the equine cervical spine.
Abstract: This aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that the stiffness of the equine cervical spine depends on the direction of force applied and on spinal position. Muscles and nuchal ligament were removed from the cervical spines of 17 horses that were without a history of cervical or neurological disease. The cervical spines were then flexed/extended dorsoventrally (with the spine straight and with the occiput rotated 30° against T1) and laterolaterally. Mean dorsoventral stiffness was 297 N/m (± 135) in flexion, 1347 N/m (± 2083) in extension, 421 N/m (± 164) in lateral flexion, 279 N/m (± 93) in rotated flexion, and 386 N/m (± 191) in rotated extension. There was a positive correlation between the length of cervical spine and stiffness for dorsoventral flexion (r = 0.63; P < 0.01) and extension (r = 0.53; P < 0.05). The stiffness of the equine cervical spine depended on the direction of the loading and was 2-7 times less than thoracolumbar stiffness in horses.
Copyright © 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2009-10-21 PubMed ID: 19850500DOI: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2009.09.015Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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The research aims to investigate if the stiffness of a horse’s cervical spine changes with varying direction of force or differing spinal positions. The study found that the stiffness of the equine cervical spine does indeed depend on the direction of force applied and on the spine’s position, and is significantly less than thoracolumbar stiffness for horses.
Research Procedure
- The research involved the cervical spines of 17 horses, all of which had no prior history of cervical or neurological diseases.
- The muscles and nuchal ligament, a fibrous band that runs down the neck and provides stability, were removed from the cervical spines of these horses.
- The cervical spines were then subjected to different pressure forces both dorsoventrally (back to belly) and laterolaterally (side to side).
- Each cervical spine underwent examination under different conditions. This included with the spine in a straight position and with the occiput (back part of the skull) rotated 30° against the first thoracic vertebra (T1).
Key Findings
- The findings clearly indicated that the direction and position of the force applied significantly influences the stiffness of the equine cervical spine. The mean stiffness varied between 297 N/m and 1347 N/m depending on the direction of force.
- The flexibility and rigidity of the spine were significantly different when measured dorsoventrally and laterolaterally, indicating that the structure of the spine is not homogeneous. The measurement of stiffness was 2-7 times less than thoracolumbar stiffness, indicating the cervical spine has a greater mobility compared to the thoracic spine.
- The length of the cervical spine and its stiffness were found to have a positive correlation, implying that longer cervical spines present more stiffness when flexed or extended.
Significance
- This research is key to deepening our understanding of the biomechanics of the equine cervical spine, which can contribute valuable knowledge in areas such as preventing and treating injuries or conditions associated with the cervical spine in horses.
- The findings can support improved training and handling techniques, and potentially offer insights for the design of more effective equestrian equipment.
Cite This Article
APA
Pagger H, Schmidburg I, Peham C, Licka T.
(2009).
Determination of the stiffness of the equine cervical spine.
Vet J, 186(3), 338-341.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tvjl.2009.09.015 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department V, Movement Science Group Vienna, Clinic of Orthopaedics in Ungulates, University of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinaerplatz 1, A-1210 Vienna, Austria.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Biomechanical Phenomena
- Cervical Vertebrae
- Female
- Horses / anatomy & histology
- Horses / physiology
- Lumbar Vertebrae
- Male
- Neck / anatomy & histology
- Neck / physiology
- Spine / anatomy & histology
- Spine / physiology
- Stress, Mechanical
- Weight-Bearing
Citations
This article has been cited 2 times.- Haussler KK, Pool RR, Clayton HM. Characterization of bony changes localized to the cervical articular processes in a mixed population of horses. PLoS One 2019;14(9):e0222989.
- Bosch K, Zsoldos RR, Hartig A, Licka T. Motion Coupling at the Cervical Vertebral Joints in the Horse-An Ex Vivo Study Using Bone-Anchored Markers. Animals (Basel) 2025 Aug 1;15(15).
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