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Prevalence of carpal fractures in thoroughbred and standardbred racehorses.
Abstract: The prevalence of carpal fractures was determined for 211 thoroughbred and 75 standardbred racehorses. Statistically significant differences were found in the location of fractures between the 2 breeds. In the thoroughbred and standardbred groups, total fractures (460) were distributed nearly equally between the left (224) and right (236) carpi. The most common site of fracture in the thoroughbred group was the distal aspect of the radiocarpal bone (112), whereas the most common site of fracture in standardbred horses was the proximal surface of the third carpal bone (61). Slab fractures were more common in the right carpus of thoroughbred horses (29 right/11 left), but were distributed equally between the left (11) and right (11) carpi of the standardbred group. Fractures of the distal border of the radius and intermediate carpal bone were more common in the left carpi of the thoroughbred group and were relatively uncommon among standardbred horses. Fractures within the intercarpal joints (313) were more common than those within the radiocarpal joints (147) in thoroughbred and standardbred horses.
Publication Date: 1986-05-15 PubMed ID: 3721966 The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Comparative Study
- Journal Article
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 research explores the frequency and location of carpal, or wrist, bone fractures in two breeds of racehorses: thoroughbreds and standardbreds. The study found a statistically significant difference in the areas of fractures between the two breeds and a near equal distribution of fractures between the left and right carpus in both groups.
Study Details
The study was conducted with a sample size of 286 horses, including 211 thoroughbreds and 75 standardbreds. The investigators aimed to determine the prevalence of carpal fractures in these two popular racehorse breeds. They took into consideration factors such as the specific location of fractures, their distribution between the left and right carpus, and the types of fractures.
- The research revealed that out of a total of 460 fractures, nearly half occurred in the left carpi (224) and half in the right carpi (236).
- The study indicates that there are breed-specific patterns in carpal fractures. For example, in thoroughbreds, the most commonly fractured spot was found to be the distal aspect of the radiocarpal bone (112 instances). In contrast, standardbreds most frequently fractured the proximal surface of the third carpal bone (61 instances).
Prevalence of Different Types of Fractures
There seemed to be a difference in the prevalence of different types of fractures within the two breeds as well.
- Slab fractures occurred more prevalently in the right carpus of thoroughbred horses (29 cases in right carpus vs. 11 in left). On the other hand, these fractures were found to be equally distributed between the left and right carpi in standardbreds (11 on each side).
- More fractures of the distal border of the radius and intermediate carpal bone were seen in the left carpi of the thoroughbreds, but such fractures were relatively rare among standardbreds.
Intercarpal vs. Radiocarpal Joints
The location of fractures within the carpus also differed significantly between thoroughbreds and standardbreds.
- Within both breeds, fractures within the intercarpal joints (313 instances) were more commonly observed than those within the radiocarpal joints (147 instances).
The findings of this study suggest that the prevalence and pattern of carpal fractures in racehorses may depend on the breed, which could affect future health management strategies for these animals.
Cite This Article
APA
Palmer SE.
(1986).
Prevalence of carpal fractures in thoroughbred and standardbred racehorses.
J Am Vet Med Assoc, 188(10), 1171-1173.
Publication
Researcher Affiliations
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Carpus, Animal / injuries
- Forelimb / injuries
- Fractures, Bone / epidemiology
- Fractures, Bone / veterinary
- Horse Diseases / epidemiology
- Horses
- Leg Injuries / epidemiology
- Leg Injuries / veterinary
Citations
This article has been cited 4 times.- Oheida AH, Shalgum AA, Alrtib AM, Booker AO, Ben-Naser KM, Davies HMS. Variation in palmaromedial articulations of carpometacarpal joints in Thoroughbred and Standardbred racehorses. Open Vet J 2023 May;13(5):569-575.
- Desjardins MR, Hurtig MB. Cartilage healing: A review with emphasis on the equine model. Can Vet J 1990 Aug;31(8):565-72.
- Magnusson LE, Ekman S. Osteoarthrosis of the antebrachiocarpal joint of 7 riding horses. Acta Vet Scand 2001;42(4):429-34.
- Son JK, De Paz P, Kim J, Sanaei R, Seungho R, Bailey S, Davies HMS. Distal forelimb radiographic bone morphology in Thoroughbred foals during the first 10 months post-partum. Part 1: Carpus. Vet Med Sci 2024 Jul;10(4):e31539.
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