Tendon and ligament injuries are common causes of impaired performance in equine athletes. Gray-scale ultrasonography is the current standard method for diagnosing and monitoring these injuries, however this modality only provides morphologic information. Elastography is an ultrasound technique that allows detection and measurement of tissue strain, and may provide valuable mechanical information about equine tendon and ligament injuries.
Tendon
Journal: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
Objective—To characterize superficial digital flexor (SDF) tendon lesions in the forelimbs of cutting horses and determine recurrence rate and prognosis for this condition.
Design—Retrospective case series.
Animals—19 cutting horses with SDF tendonitis.
Category: Equine - Tendon - Traumatology
Journal: Equine Veterinary Journal
Reasons for performing study Injuries in energy-storing tendons are common in both horses and man. The high prevalence of reinjury and the relatively poor prognosis for returning to preinjury performance levels warrant further research, for which well characterised models would be very helpful.
Journal: The Veterinary Record
The type and location of deep digital flexor tendon (DDFT) lesions may be important in predicting outcome. The objectives of this study were to determine the frequency of different types of DDFT lesions within the hoof capsule and to determine whether lesion type predicts return to athletic activity. Lesions of the DDFT were divided into: core lesions, dorsal border lesions and parasagittal splits. Lesion location was documented, and follow-up information was obtained by telephone survey at least 18 months after diagnosis.
Journal: Veterinary Surgery
Abstract
Objective
To (1) determine the temperature change in equine tendon and muscle during therapeutic ultrasound and (2) develop guidelines for treating horses for muscular or tendinous injury using therapeutic ultrasound.
Study Design
Experimental, in vivo study.
Animals
Adult horses (n = 10).
Methods
Category: Equine - Tendon - Ultrasound
Journal: Veterinary Journal
The objective of this study was to identify risk factors for superficial digital flexor (SDF) tendinopathy in Thoroughbred horses in steeplechase races in the United Kingdom. Potential risk factors for SDF tendinopathy were studied between 1st January 2001 and 31st December 2009 using a cohort study design with 648 injuries sustained in 102,894 starts. Potential risk factors were screened using univariable logistic regression prior to multivariable model building.
Category: Epidemiology - Equine - Tendon
Journal: Journal of Equine Veterinary Science
The following report documents an unusual anatomical finding in two cases of aseptic tenosynovitis of the digital flexor tendon sheath. Disruption of the vinculum attachment between the palmar/plantar border of the superficial digital flexor tendon and the adjacent palmar/plantar annular ligament was identified in combination with other tendon pathology within the digital flexor tendon sheath. This tenoscopic finding has not been described previously in the literature.
Category: Case study - Equine - Tendon
Journal: The Veterinary Journal
Investigations into the response of the superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) of the Thoroughbred horse to mechanical stimuli have been limited to in vitro cell culture studies focused primarily on gene expression of critical matrix proteins. It is uncertain how well in vitro outcomes translate to the tendon of the horse during exercise. The current study examined changes in tendon structure in response to maximal exercise using ultrasound tissue characterisation (UTC) to scan the SDFT prior to and after competitive racing.
Category: Equine - Tendon - Ultrasound
CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE AND PROGNOSIS OF DEEP DIGITAL FLEXOR TENDINOPATHY ASSESSED OVER TIME USING MRI
Journal: Veterinary Radiology and Ultrasound
Deep digital flexor (DDF) tendinopathy is one of the most frequent causes of foot lameness and the prognosis is guarded. The progress of lesion healing may be followed by magnetic resonance (MR) imaging to formulate a prognosis and to adapt the rehabilitation program. We assessed the correlation of outcome with total tendon damage and temporal resolution of MR abnormalities. Images from 34 horses with DDF tendinopathy that had undergone at least two low-field standing MR examinations of the foot (mean 2.5 ± 1.3 times) were reviewed.