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Home / Equine Research Bank / Osteoporos Int / Exercise-induced inhibition of remodelling is focally offset...
Osteoporosis international : a journal established as result of cooperation between the European Foundation for Osteoporosis and the National Osteoporosis Foundation of the USA2013; 24(7); 2043-2048; doi: 10.1007/s00198-013-2291-z

Exercise-induced inhibition of remodelling is focally offset with fatigue fracture in racehorses.

Abstract: Bone remodelling is inhibited by high repetitive loading. However, in subchondral bone of racehorses in training, eroded surface doubled in association with fatigue fracture and there was greater surrounding trabecular bone volume suggesting trabecular modelling unloads the bone focally, allowing damage repair by remodelling. Background: Remodelling replaces damaged bone with new bone but is suppressed during high magnitude repetitive loading when damage is most likely. However, in cortical bone of racehorses, at sites of fatigue fracture, focal porosity, consistent with remodelling, is observed in proportion to the extent of surrounding callus. Focal areas of porosity are also observed at sites of fatigue damage in subchondral bone. We hypothesised that fatigued subchondral bone, like damaged cortical bone, is remodelled focally in proportion to the modelling of surrounding trabecular bone. Methods: Eroded and mineralizing surfaces and bone area were measured using backscattered scanning electron microscopy of post-mortem specimens of the distal third metacarpal bone in 11 racehorses with condylar fractures (cases) and eight racehorses in training without fractures (controls). Results: Cases had a two-fold greater eroded surface per unit area at the fracture site than controls (0.81 ± 0.10 vs. 0.40 ± 0.12 mm(-1), P = 0.021) but not at an adjacent site (0.22 ± 0.09 vs. 0.30 ± 0.11 mm(-1), P = 0.59). Area fraction of surrounding trabecular bone was higher in cases than controls (81 ± 2 vs. 72 ± 2 %, P = 0.0020) and the eroded surface at the fracture site correlated with the surrounding trabecular area (adjusted R (2) = 0.63, P = 0.0010). Conclusions: In conclusion, exercise-induced inhibition of remodelling is offset at sites of fatigue fracture. Modelling of trabecular bone may contribute to unloading these regions, allowing repair by remodelling.
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Publication Date: 2013-02-01 PubMed ID: 23371360DOI: 10.1007/s00198-013-2291-zGoogle 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.

The study investigates how heavy repetitive load can inhibit bone remodeling in racehorses, while fatigue fractures can increase local bone repair and remodeling hence suggesting a reciprocal relationship between bone remodeling and fracture repair.

Understanding Bone Remodeling and Fracture Repair

  • Bone remodeling is a natural process in which old bone is replaced by new bone. It is critical for maintaining bone strength and health. However, high repetitive load, such as the one encountered by racehorses during training, can inhibit this process.
  • On the other hand, fatigue fractures, or fractures caused by repetitive physical stress, can stimulate local bone remodeling and repair. This is because the body attempts to heal the fracture by increasing the remodeling activity around the damaged area.

Hypothesis and Methodology

  • The team predicted that fatigue fracturing in subchondral bone (the layer of bone just beneath cartilage) would stimulate local remodeling, similarly to how damaged cortical bone (the outer layer of bone) responds.
  • To test this hypothesis, they used backscattered scanning electron microscopy to examine post-mortem samples of the distal third metacarpal bone (a bone in the lower front leg) from 11 racehorses with condylar fractures and eight who were in training without fractures.

Results and Findings

  • The findings revealed that the cases with fractures had, per unit area at the fracture site, twice as much eroded surface, indicative of remodeling activity, as the controls.
  • Additionally, the area fraction of surrounding trabecular bone (spongy bone found inside the cortical bone) was denser in the cases than in the controls. This is important because trabecular bone provides structural support and is more actively involved in the remodeling process.
  • A correlation was also found between the eroded surface at the fracture site and the surrounding trabecular area, substantiating the proposed connection between increased local remodeling and fractures.

Conclusions

  • The results suggest that while intensive exercise can suppress bone remodeling, this suppression is mitigated at sites of fatigue fractures.
  • Increased modeling of trabecular bone surrounding the fractures might help in unloading the stress from these regions, thus aiding in efficient repair through remodeling.

Cite This Article

APA
Whitton RC, Mirams M, Mackie EJ, Anderson GA, Seeman E. (2013). Exercise-induced inhibition of remodelling is focally offset with fatigue fracture in racehorses. Osteoporos Int, 24(7), 2043-2048. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-013-2291-z

Publication

Osteoporosis international : a journal established as result of cooperation between the European Foundation for Osteoporosis and the National Osteoporosis Foundation of the USA
ISSN: 1433-2965
NlmUniqueID: 9100105
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 24
Issue: 7
Pages: 2043-2048

Researcher Affiliations

Whitton, R C
  • Faculty of Veterinary Science, Equine Centre, University of Melbourne, 250 Princes Hwy, Werribee, Victoria 3030, Australia. cwhitton@unimelb.edu.au
Mirams, M
    Mackie, E J
      Anderson, G A
        Seeman, E

          MeSH Terms

          • Animals
          • Bone Remodeling / physiology
          • Female
          • Fractures, Stress / pathology
          • Fractures, Stress / physiopathology
          • Fractures, Stress / veterinary
          • Horse Diseases / pathology
          • Horse Diseases / physiopathology
          • Horses
          • Male
          • Metacarpal Bones / ultrastructure
          • Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
          • Physical Conditioning, Animal / physiology
          • Weight-Bearing / physiology

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          Citations

          This article has been cited 3 times.
          1. Shaffer SK, Stover SM, Fyhrie DP. Training drives turnover rates in racehorse proximal sesamoid bones.. Sci Rep 2023 Jan 27;13(1):205.
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          2. Johnston GCA, Ahern BJ, Palmieri C, Young AC. Imaging and Gross Pathological Appearance of Changes in the Parasagittal Grooves of Thoroughbred Racehorses.. Animals (Basel) 2021 Nov 24;11(12).
            doi: 10.3390/ani11123366pubmed: 34944142google scholar: lookup
          3. Martig S, Hitchens PL, Stevenson MA, Whitton RC. Subchondral bone morphology in the metacarpus of racehorses in training changes with distance from the articular surface but not with age.. J Anat 2018 Jun;232(6):919-930.
            doi: 10.1111/joa.12794pubmed: 29446086google scholar: lookup
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