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PloS one2023; 18(5); e0285475; doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0285475

Shoe configuration effects on third phalanx and capsule motion of unaffected and laminitic equine hooves in-situ.

Abstract: Equine shoes provide hoof protection and support weakened or damaged hoof tissues. Two hypotheses were tested in this study: 1) motion of the third phalanx (P3) and hoof wall deformation are greater in laminitic versus unaffected hooves regardless of shoe type; 2) P3 displacement and hoof wall deformation are greatest while unshod (US), less with open-heel (OH), then egg-bar (EB) shoes, and least with heart-bar (HB) shoes for both hoof conditions. Distal forelimbs (8/condition) were subjected to compressive forces (1.0x102-5.5x103 N) while a real-time motion detection system recorded markers on P3 and the hoof wall coronary band, vertical midpoint, and solar margin. Magnitude and direction of P3 displacement and changes in proximal and distal hemi-circumference, quarter and heel height and proximal and distal heel width were quantified. Hoof condition and shoe effects were assessed with 2-way ANOVA (p<0.05). P3 displacement was greater in laminitic hooves when US or with OH, and EB and HB reduced P3 displacement in laminitic hooves. P3 displacement was similar among shoes in unaffected hooves and greatest in laminitic hooves with OH, then US, EB and HB. EB and HB increased P3 displacement from the dorsal wall in unaffected hooves and decreased it in laminitic hooves. OH and EB increased P3 motion from the coronary band in laminitic hooves, and HB decreased P3 motion toward the solar margin in unaffected and laminitic hooves. In laminitic hooves, HB reduced distal hemi-circumference and quarter deformation and increased heel deformation and expansion. Proximal hemi-circumference constriction was inversely related to proximal heel expansion with and without shoes. Overall, shoe configuration alters hoof deformation distinctly between unaffected and laminitic hooves, and HB provided the greatest P3 stability in laminitic hooves. These unique results about P3 motion and hoof deformation in laminitic and unaffected hooves inform shoe selection and design.
Copyright: © 2023 Aoun et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
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Publication Date: 2023-05-08 PubMed ID: 37155654PubMed Central: PMC10166494DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0285475Google Scholar: Lookup
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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 research article explores how different types of horse shoes affect the motion of a bone in the foot (third phalanx or P3) and the deformation of the hoof in horses with and without a condition called laminitis. The study found that certain shoeing configurations, specifically heart-bar (HB) shoes, offer increased stability for horses suffering from laminitis.

Study Objectives and Hypotheses

The research article aims to understand how different shoe configurations (unshod, open-heel, egg-bar, heart-bar) affect the motion of the third phalanx (a bone in the hoof) and the deformation of the hoof wall in horse feet that are healthy and in those with laminitis. The researchers test two main hypotheses:

  • That the motion of the third phalanx and hoof wall deformation are greater in laminitis-affected hooves than in unaffected hooves, regardless of the shoe type used.
  • Third phalanx displacement and hoof wall deformation are most prominent in unshod conditions, less with open-heel shoes, then egg-bar shoes, and least with heart-bar shoes, for both hoof conditions.

Methodology

The researchers used a sample of distal forelimbs (the horse’s front legs), subjecting them to varying compressive forces while recording their motion with a real-time detection system. They measured the magnitude and direction of the P3 displacement and changes in the hoof wall’s physical dimensions.

Results

Findings suggest the displacement of the third phalanx is greater in laminitic feet when these are unshod, and when equipped with open-heel shoes. Both egg-bar and heart-bar shoes help reduce this displacement in laminitic hooves. For unaffected hooves, the displacement of the bone was similar across all shoe types and was greatest in hooves with laminitis when provided with open-heel, unshod, egg-bar, and heart-bar configurations in that sequence. Heart-bar shoes reduced deformation in certain sections of the laminitic hooves and increased deformation and expansion in others.

Conclusion

The study concludes that different shoe configurations have distinct effects on the deformation of the hoof in both unaffected and laminitic hooves. The heart-bar shoes, in particular, were shown to provide the greatest stability to the third phalanx in hooves affected by laminitis. This knowledge can guide horse shoe selection and design, particularly for horses affected by laminitis.

Cite This Article

APA
Aoun R, Charles I, DeRouen A, Takawira C, Lopez MJ. (2023). Shoe configuration effects on third phalanx and capsule motion of unaffected and laminitic equine hooves in-situ. PLoS One, 18(5), e0285475. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0285475

Publication

PloS one
ISSN: 1932-6203
NlmUniqueID: 101285081
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 18
Issue: 5
Pages: e0285475

Researcher Affiliations

Aoun, Rita
  • Laboratory for Equine and Comparative Orthopedic Research, Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States of America.
Charles, Iyana
  • Laboratory for Equine and Comparative Orthopedic Research, Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States of America.
DeRouen, Abigail
  • Laboratory for Equine and Comparative Orthopedic Research, Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States of America.
Takawira, Catherine
  • Laboratory for Equine and Comparative Orthopedic Research, Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States of America.
Lopez, Mandi J
  • Laboratory for Equine and Comparative Orthopedic Research, Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States of America.

MeSH Terms

  • Horses
  • Animals
  • Shoes
  • Hoof and Claw
  • Motion
  • Forelimb
  • Extremities
  • Biomechanical Phenomena

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

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Citations

This article has been cited 3 times.
  1. Ennsmann LH, Licka TF. Association between radiographic equine distal phalanx characteristics and absence, presence and type of horseshoes. Front Vet Sci 2025;12:1598038.
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  2. Aoun R, Ogunmola Z, Musso A, Taguchi T, Takawira C, Lopez MJ. Shoe configuration effects on equine forelimb gait kinetics at a walk. PeerJ 2025;13:e18940.
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  3. Mata F, Franca I, Araújo J, Paixão G, Lesniak K, Cerqueira JL. Investigating Associations between Horse Hoof Conformation and Presence of Lameness. Animals (Basel) 2024 Sep 17;14(18).
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