Effect of uphill exercise on equine superficial digital flexor tendon forces at trot and canter.
Abstract: One cause of overstrain injury to the superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) in horses is the force loaded on the SDFT during repeated running. Therefore, decreasing this force may reduce SDFT injury. It has been reported that strain on the SDFT decreases with a toe-wedge shoe. Uphill courses are used for training of racehorses, and the angle of hoof-sole to the horizon during uphill running is similar to that of the toe-wedge shoe. Objective: To determine the effects of uphill exercise on the force on the SDFT during trotting and cantering. Methods: Arthroscopically implantable force probes (AIFP) were implanted into the SDFT of the left or right forelimb of 7 Thoroughbred horses and AIFP output recorded during trotting and cantering on a treadmill inclined at slopes of 0, 3 or 8%, and then 0% again. Superficial digital flexor tendon force was calculated as a relative value, with the amplitude of AIFP output voltage at initial 0% slope equal to 100. Results: Out of 14 sets of experiments, AIFP data were analysed successfully in 9 at the trot, in 3 at the canter in the trailing forelimb on a slope of 3 and 8%, and in 2 at the canter in the leading forelimb on a slope of 3%. Increasing the incline from 0-8% tended to decrease peak force in the SDFT at the trot, and in the trailing forelimb at the canter. However, force in the SDFT was unchanged in the leading forelimb at the canter on the 3% incline. Conclusions: The force in the SDFT trotting or cantering uphill is unchanged or lower than that loaded at the same speed on a flat surface. Because at similar speeds the workload for uphill exercise is greater than on the flat, uphill running increases exercise intensity without increasing force in the SDFT. Conclusions: Uphill exercise may reduce the risk of SDFT injury as both running speed and SDFT force are decreased on an incline as compared to the flat, even when exercise intensity is the same. Further study is needed to confirm these findings at canter in a larger population of horses.
Publication Date: 2007-04-04 PubMed ID: 17402462DOI: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.2006.tb05583.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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The research explores how uphill exercise affects the forces on a horse’s superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) during trotting and cantering. By studying the effects on this tendon during uphill exercise, the article proposes insights into potential ways to mitigate SDFT injuries in racehorses.
Objectives and Methods
- The researchers aimed to learn whether uphill exercise affects the strain on the SDFT —the overstrain of which can lead to injury—during a horse’s two common types of movement, trotting and cantering.
- To garner data, they implanted arthroscopically implantable force probes (AIFP) into the SDFT of either the left or right forelimb of seven Thoroughbred horses.
- This was then recorded while the horses trotted and cantered on treadmills inclined at 0%, 3%, 8% and then back to 0% again.
- The force on the SDFT was then calculated, using the AIFP output voltage at the initial 0% slope as a baseline measurement for the evaluation of relative values.
Results
- Out of 14 sets of experiments, nine sets of data were successfully analyzed at the trot and five sets were successful at the canter.
- The research pointed towards a trend that increasing the treadmill’s incline from 0% to 8% tended to decrease peak force on the SDFT during the trot and in the trailing forelimb during canter.
- However, the experiments did not record a change in force in leading forelimb at the canter on a 3% incline.
- The results showcase that the force in the SDFT either remains unchanged or decreases when the horse is trotting or cantering uphill compared to when it is on a flat surface.
- This is of interest as the workload for uphill exercise is greater than on a flat surface at similar speeds, so uphill running increases exercise intensity without putting more strain on the SDFT.
Conclusion and Further Research
- The researchers concluded that uphill exercise may lead to lowered risks of SDFT injuries as it lessens the force on the SDFT and decreases running speed, despite having the same exercise intensity as flat running.
- However, there is a call for further investigation in order to confirm these results during cantering in a larger population of horses.
Implications
- If validated with further research, this study’s findings could prompt revisions in racehorse training to include more uphill exercises, which could potentially reduce instances of SDFT injuries.
- Overall, the study contributes a potential strategy to improve the health and longevity of racehorses.
Cite This Article
APA
Takahashi T, Kasashima Y, Eto D, Mukai K, Hiraga A.
(2007).
Effect of uphill exercise on equine superficial digital flexor tendon forces at trot and canter.
Equine Vet J Suppl(36), 435-439.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-3306.2006.tb05583.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Equine Research Institute, Japan Racing Association, 321-4 Tokami-cho, Utsunomiya, Tochigi 320-0856, Japan.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Biomechanical Phenomena
- Exercise Test / veterinary
- Female
- Forelimb / physiology
- Hoof and Claw / physiology
- Horses / physiology
- Male
- Physical Conditioning, Animal / methods
- Physical Conditioning, Animal / physiology
- Tarsal Joints / physiology
- Tarsus, Animal
- Tendon Injuries / etiology
- Tendon Injuries / prevention & control
- Tendon Injuries / veterinary
- Time Factors
Citations
This article has been cited 2 times.- Bailey J, Redpath A, Hallowell G, Bowen M. An objective study into the effects of an incline on naturally occurring lameness in horses. Vet Med Sci 2022 Nov;8(6):2390-2395.
- Takahashi T, Mukai K, Ohmura H, Aida H, Hiraga A. In vivo measurements of flexor tendon and suspensory ligament forces during trotting using the thoroughbred forelimb model. J Equine Sci 2014;25(1):15-22.
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