Subchondral bone thickness, hardness and remodelling are influenced by short-term exercise in a site-specific manner.
Abstract: It was hypothesised that subchondral bone thickness, hardness and remodelling are influenced by exercise intensity, and by location within a joint. Dorsal carpal osteochondral injury is a major cause of lameness in horses undergoing high intensity training. This project aimed to determine the subchondral bone thickness, formation, resorption and hardness at sites with high and low incidence of pathology in 2 year-old horses undergoing 19 weeks high intensity treadmill training or low intensity exercise, and to compare these factors between exercise groups. Dorsal and palmar test sites were identified on radial, intermediate and third carpal articular surfaces after euthanasia. Adjacent osteochondral samples from each test site underwent histomorphometric analysis (for subchondral bone thickness, osteoid perimeter, osteoid seam width, eroded cavity area and eroded cement line surface length) and microhardness testing. Bone from horses undergoing high intensity training was thicker with a greater osteoid perimeter, and at individual sites had a smaller osteoid seam width and eroded cavity. Exercise-related differences were most marked at dorsal locations. Maximal differences in bone formation indices were observed at dorsal radial and medial third carpal locations. Overall subchondral bone from dorsal sites was thicker with a greater osteoid perimeter. Subchondral bone from dorsal sites was approximately 35% harder than bone from palmar sites. These results show topographical variations in subchondral bone structure, formation, resorption and material properties and a site-specific response to exercise. The maximal response to exercise was at high load sites with a clinical predisposition to injury. These findings indicate that the combined effect of exercise and local load variations within a joint may lead to maximal adaptive responses or overload of these responses at sites predisposed to injury.
Publication Date: 2002-01-10 PubMed ID: 11781002DOI: 10.1016/S0736-0266(01)00027-4Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research article investigates how different intensities of exercise affect the thickness, formation, resorption and hardness of subchondral bone in horses, particularly in areas prone to osteochondral injury.
Objective of the Research
- The study’s main goal is to understand how subchondral bone, specifically its thickness, formation, resorption, and hardness, is affected by exercise intensity. Furthermore, the study aims to uncover how these characteristics vary based on the location within a joint. These findings are particularly important in the context of high-intensity training in horses, which often leads to dorsal carpal osteochondral injury—a significant cause of lameness.
Methodology
- The study involved 2-year-old horses who underwent 19 weeks of either high intensity treadmill training or low intensity exercise. They identified dorsal and palmar test sites on radial, intermediate and third carpal articular surfaces after euthanasia.
- Scientists conducted histomorphometric analysis on adjacent osteochondral samples collected from each of the test sites. They assessed factors such as subchondral bone thickness, osteoid perimeter, osteoid seam width, eroded cavity area, and eroded cement line surface length.
- They also conducted further microhardness testing to assess bone hardness.
Findings
- The research found that high-intensity training caused the subchondral bone to grow thicker and develop a greater osteoid perimeter. In certain locations, the bone also exhibited a smaller osteoid seam width and eroded cavity area.
- The study noted that these exercise-related differences were most pronounced at dorsal locations. The largest variations in bone formation indices were discovered at the dorsal radial and medial third carpal places.
- The subchondral bone in dorsal sites was found to be thicker and have a greater osteoid perimeter. These bones were also found to be approximately 35% harder than those from palmar sites.
Conclusion
- The research concluded that there are topographical variations in subchondral bone structure, formation, resorption and material properties. It also confirmed a site-specific response to exercise. The maximal response was in high load sites, which have a predisposition to injury.
- The exercise and local load variations within a joint can lead to maximal adaptive responses or overload of these responses at sites predisposed to injury. This means that the impact of exercise on subchondral bone is site-specific, highlighting the need for tailored training regimes to prevent potential damage and injuries.
Cite This Article
APA
Murray RC, Vedi S, Birch HL, Lakhani KH, Goodship AE.
(2002).
Subchondral bone thickness, hardness and remodelling are influenced by short-term exercise in a site-specific manner.
J Orthop Res, 19(6), 1035-1042.
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0736-0266(01)00027-4 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Animal Health Trust, Centre for Equine Studies, Newmarket, Suffolk, UK. rachel.murray@aht.org.uk
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Biomechanical Phenomena
- Bone Remodeling
- Bone and Bones / anatomy & histology
- Bone and Bones / physiology
- Female
- Hardness
- Horses
- Physical Conditioning, Animal
Citations
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