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Home / Equine Research Bank / J Anat / Structural and functional characteristics of the thoracolumb...
Journal of anatomy2016; 230(3); 398-406; doi: 10.1111/joa.12564

Structural and functional characteristics of the thoracolumbar multifidus muscle in horses.

Abstract: The multifidus muscle fascicles of horses attach to vertebral spinous processes after crossing between one to six metameres. The fascicles within one or two metameres are difficult to distinguish in horses. A vertebral motion segment is anatomically formed by two adjacent vertebrae and the interposed soft tissue structures, and excessive mobility of a vertebral motion segment frequently causes osteoarthropathies in sport horses. The importance of the equine multifidus muscle as a vertebral motion segment stabilizer has been demonstrated; however, there is scant documentation of the structure and function of this muscle. By studying six sport horses postmortem, the normalized muscle fibre lengths of the the multifidus muscle attached to the thoracic (T)4, T9, T12, T17 and lumbar (L)3 vertebral motion segments were determined and the relative areas occupied by fibre types I, IIA and IIX were measured in the same muscles after immunohistochemical typying. The values for the normalized muscle fibre lengths and the relative areas were analysed as completely randomized blocks using an anova (P ≤ 0.05). The vertebral motion segments of the T4 vertebra include multifidus bundles extending between two and eight metameres; the vertebral motion segments of the T9, T12, T17 and L3 vertebrae contain fascicles extending between two and four metameres The muscle fibres with high normalized lengths that insert into the T4 (three and eight metameres) vertebral motion segment tend to have smaller physiological cross-sectional areas, indicating their diminished capacity to generate isometric force. In contrast, the significantly decreased normalized muscle fibre lengths and the increased physiological cross-sectional areas of the fascicles of three metameres with insertions on T9, T17, T12, L3 and the fascicles of four metameres with insertions on L3 increase their capacities to generate isometric muscle force and neutralize excessive movements of the vertebral segments with great mobility. There were no significant differences in the values of relative areas occupied by fibre types I, IIA and IIX. In considering the relative areas occupied by the fibre types in the multifidus muscle fascicles attached to each vertebral motion segment examined, the relative area occupied by the type I fibres was found to be significantly higher in the T4 vertebral motion segment than in the other segments. It can be concluded that the equine multifidus muscle in horses is an immunohistochemically homogeneous muscle with various architectural designs that have functional significance according to the vertebral motion segments considered. The results obtained in this study can serve as a basis for future research aimed at understanding the posture and dynamics of the equine spine.
© 2016 Anatomical Society.
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Publication Date: 2016-11-11 PubMed ID: 27861847PubMed Central: PMC5314397DOI: 10.1111/joa.12564Google 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.

This research investigates the structure and function of the multifidus muscle, a back stabiliser, in horses. The study was performed on six sport horses post-mortem and involved detailed analysis of muscle fibre lengths, an analysis of muscle fibre types, and considerations of the muscle’s potential for force generation in context with the different vertebrae it attaches to.

Research Context and Objectives

  • The multifidus muscle in horses is crucial to maintaining stability in the vertebrae, protecting them from osteoarthropathies often seen in sports horses due to high mobility demands.
  • However, limited research prior to this study had investigated the detailed structure and function of this muscle.
  • The purpose of this research was to thoroughly examine the multifidus muscle in horses, uncovering specifications about its fibre length and type, and analysing how these factors influence the muscle’s potential to generate force and stabilize the vertebral motion segments.

Methodology

  • The normalized muscle fibre lengths of the multifidus in relation to the thoracic (T4, T9, T12, T17) and lumbar (L3) vertebral motion segments in six sport horses were examined post-mortem.
  • Types I, IIA and IIX of muscle fibres were differentiated and measured through immunohistochemical typing, and the relative areas these fibres occupied were measured.
  • The data collected for muscle fibre lengths and relative fibre areas were analysed using a statistical method known as anova.

Findings

  • Multifidus muscle bundles span between two and eight metameres for the T4 vertebra and between two and four metameres for the T9, T12, T17 and L3 vertebrae.
  • Muscle fibres with longer normalized lengths that insert into the T4 vertebral motion segment typically have smaller physiological cross-sectional areas, suggesting lower force generating capacities.
  • Conversely, decreased normalized muscle fibre lengths and larger cross-sectional areas in fascicles attaching to T9, T12, T17 and L3 reflected higher abilities to produce force, potentially giving better protection to highly mobile vertebral segments.
  • No significant differences were found in the relative areas occupied by the different fibre types.
  • Type I fibres presented a significantly higher relative area in the T4 vertebral motion segment compared to what was observed in other segments.

Conclusions and Implications

  • The analysis showed that the equine multifidus muscle presents varying architectural designs in relation to which vertebra it attaches to, but is homogeneous in terms of fibre types.
  • The results provide a detailed reference for future research on the posture and dynamics of horses’ spines, and such findings could potentially be used to inform training or rehabilitation protocols for horses with spinal or back issues.

Cite This Article

APA
García Liñeiro JA, Graziotti GH, Rodríguez Menéndez JM, Ríos CM, Affricano NO, Victorica CL. (2016). Structural and functional characteristics of the thoracolumbar multifidus muscle in horses. J Anat, 230(3), 398-406. https://doi.org/10.1111/joa.12564

Publication

Journal of anatomy
ISSN: 1469-7580
NlmUniqueID: 0137162
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 230
Issue: 3
Pages: 398-406

Researcher Affiliations

García Liñeiro, J A
  • Department of Health and Equine Production, School of Veterinary Sciences, Buenos Aires University, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Graziotti, G H
  • Department of Anatomy, School of Veterinary Sciences, Buenos Aires University, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Rodríguez Menéndez, J M
  • Department of Anatomy, School of Veterinary Sciences, Buenos Aires University, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Ríos, C M
  • Department of Anatomy, School of Veterinary Sciences, Buenos Aires University, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Affricano, N O
  • Department of Anatomy, School of Veterinary Sciences, Buenos Aires University, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Victorica, C L
  • Department of Anatomy, School of Veterinary Sciences, Buenos Aires University, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Horses / anatomy & histology
  • Horses / physiology
  • Paraspinal Muscles / anatomy & histology
  • Paraspinal Muscles / physiology

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Citations

This article has been cited 8 times.
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