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Home / Equine Research Bank / Equine Vet J / Effect of local analgesia on movement of the equine back.
Equine veterinary journal2006; 38(1); 65-69; doi: 10.2746/042516406775374351

Effect of local analgesia on movement of the equine back.

Abstract: Diagnostic infiltration of local anaesthetic solution is commonly used in cases of equine back pain. Evaluation is subjective and it is not known how local analgesia of the back affects horses without clinical signs of back pain. Objective: To evaluate the effect of infiltration of local anaesthetics on the movement of the back in horses without clinical signs of back pain, and to evaluate the usefulness of kinematic studies as an objective and quantitative tool in evaluating local analgesia in clinical practice. Methods: The kinematics of the back in 10 clinically sound horses were measured on 2 occasions at walk and trot before and after injections with mepivacaine and sodium chloride around the interspinous spaces between T16 and L2. The kinematics were compared between the 2 occasions before injections and before and after each injection. Results: The range of motion (ROM) for dorsoventral flexion-extension (FE) of the back was increased significantly in all measured segments other than T10 at walk, as was lateral bending (LB) at T10, L3 and L5 after injection of mepivacaine. For lateral excursion (LE), total movement increased at all measured segments. At trot the only affected segment was L3, where the injection with mepivacaine decreased the ROM for FE. After injection of sodium chloride the ROM for FE increased at T13 and T17 at walk. Lateral bending and LE were not affected at walk. At trot, LB increased at L3 and L5. Conclusions: Diagnostic infiltration of local anaesthetic solution affects the function of the back in clinically sound horses, which must be considered when interpreting the use of this clinical aid in assessing clinical cases of back dysfunction. Kinematics can qualitatively and quantitatively evaluate the effect of local analgesia of the back.
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Publication Date: 2006-01-18 PubMed ID: 16411589DOI: 10.2746/042516406775374351Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article
  • 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.

This study explores how local painkiller injections affect the back movement of horses without any signs of back pain, and assesses the usefulness of kinematic studies – a method of measuring motion – in evaluating the effects of local analgesia.

Objective and Methodology:

  • The main goal of this research was to assess the effects of local anaesthetics on the back movement of horses devoid of identifiable back pain. The study further aimed to measure the effectiveness of kinematics as a way to objectively and quantitatively analyze the impacts of local anaesthetics administrated to the back.
  • For this study, the researchers examined the back movement of 10 horses, noted to be clinically healthy, prior to and after the administration of local anaesthetics. They were specifically interested in the movement around the interspinous spaces between T16 and L2 (an area along the horse’s spine). The study was conducted twice; once with mepivacaine and once with sodium chloride, both common local anaesthetics.

Findings:

  • After mepivacaine injection, researchers noticed that at a walk, there was a significant increase in the horse’s range of motion (ROM) for dorsoventral flexion-extension (FE – the horse’s ability to move its spine up and down), as well as an increase in lateral bending (LB – the horse’s ability to flex its spine side-to-side) at various points along the spine.
  • The total lateral excursion (LE – the total amount of sideways motion) increased at all measured segments.
  • However, at a trot, there was a decrease in ROM for FE at the L3 spinal segment after mepivacaine was administered.
  • When sodium chloride was injected, an increase in ROM for FE was observed at two points on the spine during a walk, but LB and LE were not affected. At a trot, LB increased at two points on the spine.

Conclusions:

  • The research concluded that using local anaesthetics affects the functionality of a horse’s back, even in the absence of clinical signs of back pain, and this should be taken into account when using local anaesthetics as a diagnostic tool for assessing back dysfunction.
  • Furthermore, the study confirmed that kinematics is a useful method to qualitatively and quantitatively examine the effect of local anaesthesia on back motion in horses.

Cite This Article

APA
Holm KR, Wennerstrand J, Lagerquist U, Eksell R, Johnston C. (2006). Effect of local analgesia on movement of the equine back. Equine Vet J, 38(1), 65-69. https://doi.org/10.2746/042516406775374351

Publication

Equine veterinary journal
ISSN: 0425-1644
NlmUniqueID: 0173320
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 38
Issue: 1
Pages: 65-69

Researcher Affiliations

Holm, K Roethlisberger
  • Department of Clinical Sciences, Division of Surgery and Medicine, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, S-750 07 Uppsala.
Wennerstrand, J
    Lagerquist, U
      Eksell, R
        Johnston, C

          MeSH Terms

          • Analgesia / methods
          • Analgesia / veterinary
          • Anesthetics, Local / pharmacology
          • Animals
          • Back / physiology
          • Back Pain / drug therapy
          • Back Pain / physiopathology
          • Back Pain / veterinary
          • Biomechanical Phenomena
          • Exercise Test / veterinary
          • Female
          • Gait / physiology
          • Horse Diseases / drug therapy
          • Horse Diseases / physiopathology
          • Horses / physiology
          • Locomotion / physiology
          • Lumbar Vertebrae / physiology
          • Male
          • Mepivacaine / pharmacology
          • Range of Motion, Articular / drug effects
          • Thoracic Vertebrae / physiology

          Citations

          This article has been cited 4 times.
          1. Pilati N, Pressanto MC, Palumbo Piccionello A, De Angelis Corvi F, Beccati F. Impinging and Overriding Spinous Processes in Horses: A Narrative Review. Animals (Basel) 2025 Sep 13;15(18).
            doi: 10.3390/ani15182679pubmed: 41007924google scholar: lookup
          2. Argüelles D, Becero M, Muñoz A, Saitua A, Ramón T, Gascón E, Sánchez de Medina A, Prades M. Accelerometric Changes before and after Capacitive Resistive Electric Transfer Therapy in Horses with Thoracolumbar Pain Compared to a SHAM Procedure. Animals (Basel) 2020 Dec 5;10(12).
            doi: 10.3390/ani10122305pubmed: 33291357google scholar: lookup
          3. Riccio B, Fraschetto C, Villanueva J, Cantatore F, Bertuglia A. Two Multicenter Surveys on Equine Back-Pain 10 Years a Part. Front Vet Sci 2018;5:195.
            doi: 10.3389/fvets.2018.00195pubmed: 30191152google scholar: lookup
          4. Gutierrez-Quintana R, Lindley S, Sullivan M, Penderis J, Wessmann A. Dorsal spinous process impingement syndrome ('kissing spine') in a cat: imaging appearance and surgical management. J Feline Med Surg 2011 Aug;13(8):618-21.
            doi: 10.1016/j.jfms.2011.05.016pubmed: 21723173google scholar: lookup
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