Mechanical loading of the distal end of the third metacarpal bone in horses during walking and trotting

Merritt, Jonathan S.; Pandy, Marcus G.; Brown, Nicholas; Burvill, Colin; Kawcak, Christopher E.; McIlwraith, C. Wayne; Davies, Helen M.S.

doi:10.2460/ajvr.71.5.508

Cited by 22 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…Several investigators have used simple models of the equine third metacarpal bone and shown good agreement with ex vivo results. 24,[32][33][34] These validation results support that the FE modelling approach had acceptable agreement with ex vivo testing.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 65%

Finite Element Analysis of Six Transcortical Pin Parameters and Their Effect on Bone–Pin Interface Stresses in the Equine Third Metacarpal Bone

Lescun

Adams

Main

et al. 2019

Vet Comp Orthop Traumatol

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Objective The objectives of this study were to validate a finite element model of the equine distal limb transfixation cast and to determine the effect of six transcortical pin parameters on bone–pin interface (BPI) stresses in the third metacarpal bone. Study Design A transfixation cast finite element model was developed from a computed tomography scan of the third metacarpal bone and modelled pin elements. The model was validated by comparing strain measured around a 6.3-mm transfixation pin in the third metacarpal bone with the finite element model. The pin parameters of diameter, number, location, spacing, orientation and material were evaluated by comparing a variety of pin configurations within the model. Results Pin diameter and number had the greatest impact on BPI stress. Increasing the diameter and number of pins resulted in lower BPI stresses. Diaphyseal pin location and stainless-steel pins had lower BPI stresses than metaphyseal location and titanium alloy pins, respectively. Offset pin orientation and pin spacing had minimal impact on BPI stresses during axial loading. Conclusion The results provide evidence that diameter and number are the main pin parameters affecting BPI stress in an equine distal limb transfixation cast. Configurations of various pin size and number may be proposed to reduce BPI stresses and minimize the risk of pin related complications. Further refinement of these models will be required to optimize pin configurations to account for pin hole size and its impact on overall bone strength.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 65%

Finite Element Analysis of Six Transcortical Pin Parameters and Their Effect on Bone–Pin Interface Stresses in the Equine Third Metacarpal Bone

Lescun

Adams

Main

et al. 2019

Vet Comp Orthop Traumatol

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“…Furthermore, a greater proportion (60%) of the body weight of the horse is borne on the front legs (Leach, ; Mcduffee et al., ). Additionally, the Mc3 in the stance phase is primarily loaded in axial compression (Merritt et al., ) and the distal part of the metacarpus is loaded asymmetrically resulting in more compressive strain on the medial aspect (Firth et al., ). Therefore, the significant variations in widths and depths between the medial and lateral condyles (the medial was the widest and deepest) in the individual bones could be an adaptation occurring in the distal Mc3 bones during development to receive that loading.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Morphometrical Study of Bony Elements of the Forelimb Fetlock Joints in Horses

Alrtib

Philip

Abdunnabi

et al. 2012

Anat Histol Embryol

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There are many reports describing fractures in the bony elements of the equine fetlock joint and a few of these discuss possible relationships of these fractures to the mechanical loading of these bones. The likelihood of fracture must be related to the size and shape of bones involved, but information concerning the normal range in size and shape of these bones in horses is lacking. This study aimed to identify morphometrical variations of these bones within different groups of horses. Right and left metacarpal, proximal phalangeal and proximal sesamoid bones were collected from 10 Thoroughbreds (TB), five Standardbreds (SB) and eight Ponies (P) euthanized for non-orthopaedic reasons. All bones were boiled, cleaned and dried. Dimensional parameters were measured using a custom-built apparatus, calliper and plastic tape. The width and depth of the medial condyles of Mc3 were greater than the lateral condyles in all groups. The length to the lateral condyle was greater than the length to the medial condyle of Mc3, and the lengths of the lateral sides of the Mc3 and P1 bones were greater than the lengths of the medial sides in both forelimbs of all groups. The lateral sesamoids were similar to, or larger than, the medial sesamoids in all dimensions. There were some morphometrical variations in the bony elements of the equine fetlock joints in all groups.

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“…A more detailed analysis of limb loading is achieved with computational modelling, which allows the calculation of loads in multiple structures and at multiple sites throughout the limb. Modelling of the equine forelimb has been used to calculate loads throughout the distal portion of the third metacarpal bone and at the joint surfaces . For a cantering horse (6.2 m/s) the largest loads (24 kN) occur at the carpal and fetlock joint surfaces .…”

Section: Relationship Between Magnitude Of Load and Fatigue Lifementioning

confidence: 99%

Bone fatigue and its implications for injuries in racehorses

Martig

Chen

Lee

et al. 2014

Equine Veterinary Journal

109

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Musculoskeletal injuries are a common cause of lost training days and wastage in racehorses. Many bone injuries are a consequence of repeated high loading during fast work, resulting in chronic damage accumulation and material fatigue of bone. The highest joint loads occur in the fetlock, which is also the most common site of subchondral bone injury in racehorses. Microcracks in the subchondral bone at sites where intra-articular fractures and palmar osteochondral disease occur are similar to the fatigue damage detected experimentally after repeated loading of bone. Fatigue is a process that has undergone much study in material science in order to avoid catastrophic failure of engineering structures. The term 'fatigue life' refers to the numbers of cycles of loading that can be sustained before failure occurs. Fatigue life decreases exponentially with increasing load. This is important in horses as loads within the limb increase with increasing speed. Bone adapts to increased loading by modelling to maintain the strains within the bone at a safe level. Bone also repairs fatigued matrix through remodelling. Fatigue injuries develop when microdamage accumulates faster than remodelling can repair. Remodelling of the equine metacarpus is reduced during race training and accelerated during rest periods. The first phase of remodelling is bone resorption, which weakens the bone through increased porosity. A bone that is porous following a rest period may fail earlier than a fully adapted bone. Maximising bone adaptation is an important part of training young racehorses. However, even well-adapted bones accumulate microdamage and require ongoing remodelling. If remodelling inhibition at the extremes of training is unavoidable then the duration of exposure to high-speed work needs to be limited and appropriate rest periods instituted. Further research is warranted to elucidate the effect of fast-speed work and rest on bone damage accumulation and repair.

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Mechanical loading of the distal end of the third metacarpal bone in horses during walking and trotting

Abstract: Results of strain gauge and kinematic analyses indicated that the major structures of the distal portion of the forelimb in horses acted to load the distal end of the third metacarpal bone in axial compression throughout the stance phase of the stride.

Cited by 22 publications

References 30 publications

Finite Element Analysis of Six Transcortical Pin Parameters and Their Effect on Bone–Pin Interface Stresses in the Equine Third Metacarpal Bone

Finite Element Analysis of Six Transcortical Pin Parameters and Their Effect on Bone–Pin Interface Stresses in the Equine Third Metacarpal Bone

Morphometrical Study of Bony Elements of the Forelimb Fetlock Joints in Horses

Bone fatigue and its implications for injuries in racehorses

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