Surface strain on the dorsal metacarpus of thoroughbreds at different speeds and gaits.
Abstract: Stacked rectangular rosette strain gages were used to measure surface bone strain on the dorsomedial cortex of the third metacarpal bones in 6 adult Thoroughbred horses during treadmill exercise. The peak principal compressive and tensile strains, angle of the peak strains and strain rate during loading were calculated and compared with speed and gait. At speeds from 4 to 14 m/s loading on the metacarpus resulted in compression of the dorsomedial cortex. Tension only occurred consistently in 1 forelimb of 1 horse at the walk (2 m/s). The angle of peak compression was within 10 degrees of the longitudinal axis of the bone, and the magnitude of compression was proportional to the speed of exercise. Mean maximum compressive strains in the 6 horses at 2 m/s were -668 mu strain, -1,204 mu strain at 4 m/s; -1,617 mu strain at 6 m/s; -2,127 mu strain at 8 m/s, and -2,533 mu strain at 10 m/s. Recordings from 3 horses gave a mean -3,206 mu strain at 12 m/s, and strains at 14 m/s approached -4,000 mu strain. Peak strains were similar in both forelimbs at the canter while strain rate tended to be higher in the leading forelimb.
Publication Date: 1993-01-01 PubMed ID: 8470458DOI: 10.1159/000147437Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research investigates the strain experienced by the third metacarpal bone, located in a horse’s front leg, during different speeds and gaits of running. This was done with the use of rectangular rosette strain gages, and the results revealed correlations between increased speed and increased compressive strain.
Methods
- To conduct the study, researchers utilized stacked rectangular rosette strain gages. These are attached to the metacarpal bone’s surface, providing measurements of deformations or changes in length, which indicate the stress or strain experienced by the bone.
- The study included six adult Thoroughbred horses running on treadmills, enabling controlled examination of different speeds and gaits.
- The team tracked the peak principal compressive and tensile strains, the angle of these peak strains, and the strain rate during loading. This data was then compared across different speeds and gaits.
Results
- The data revealed that running speeds from 4 m/s up to 14 m/s led to compression of the third metacarpal bone. Tension, on the other hand, was only consistently observed in one of the horse’s front legs and only when the horse was walking at 2 m/s.
- The angle of peak compression was found to be within 10 degrees of the bone’s longitudinal axis, implying that the majority of the strain was longitudinal, aligning with the direction of the bone.
- Furthermore, researchers found that the magnitude of compression increased proportionally with the speed of exercise. This was demonstrated in the observed increase in mean maximum compressive strains as the speed increased.
- At the canter gait, peak strains were similar in both forelimbs, with a slightly higher strain rate observed in the leading forelimb.
Conclusion
- This study contributes valuable insights into how the metacarpal bone in a horse’s leg responds to different levels of physical exertion, informing understanding of horse biomechanics and potentially guiding practices for training, rehabilitation, and injury prevention in racehorses.
Cite This Article
APA
Davies HM, McCarthy RN, Jeffcott LB.
(1993).
Surface strain on the dorsal metacarpus of thoroughbreds at different speeds and gaits.
Acta Anat (Basel), 146(2-3), 148-153.
https://doi.org/10.1159/000147437 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Equine Clinical Research Unit, Department of Veterinary Science, University of Melbourne, Werribee, Vict., Australia.
MeSH Terms
- Animal Husbandry
- Animals
- Female
- Forelimb / physiology
- Gait
- Horses / physiology
- Male
- Metacarpus / physiology
- Motor Activity / physiology
- Stress, Mechanical
Citations
This article has been cited 6 times.- Son JK, De Paz P, Kim J, Sanaei R, Ryu S, Bailey S, Davies HMS. The change in third metacarpal mid-diaphyseal radiographic dimensions in Thoroughbred foals through growth. Equine Vet J 2025 Nov;57(6):1600-1611.
- Boros K, Dyson S, Kovács Á, Lang Z, Nagy A. Computed Tomographic Evaluation of the Sagittal Ridge of the Third Metacarpal Bone in Young Thoroughbred Racehorses: A Longitudinal Study. Animals (Basel) 2024 Mar 6;14(5).
- Abushhiwa MH, Elmeshreghi TN, Alrtib AM, Bennour EM, Oheida AH. First phalanx exostosis in traditional equestrian horses in Western Libya. Open Vet J 2022 Jan-Feb;12(1):69-74.
- Rogers CW, Dittmer KE. Does Juvenile Play Programme the Equine Musculoskeletal System?. Animals (Basel) 2019 Sep 3;9(9).
- Huang L, Korhonen RK, Turunen MJ, Finnilä MAJ. Experimental mechanical strain measurement of tissues. PeerJ 2019;7:e6545.
- Meyer LA, Johnson MG, Cullen DM, Vivanco JF, Blank RD, Ploeg HL, Smith EL. Combined exposure to big endothelin-1 and mechanical loading in bovine sternal cores promotes osteogenesis. Bone 2016 Apr;85:115-22.
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