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Biplanar High-Speed Fluoroscopy of Pony Superficial Digital Flexor Tendon (SDFT)-An In Vivo Pilot Study.

Published version
Peer-reviewed

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Authors

Wagner, Franziska C 
Geiger, Sandra M 
Gittel, Claudia 
Böttcher, Peter 

Abstract

The superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) is the most frequently injured structure of the musculoskeletal system in sport horses and a common cause for early retirement. This project's aim was to visualize and measure the strain of the sound, injured, and healing SDFTs in a pony during walk and trot. For this purpose, biplanar high-speed fluoroscopic kinematography (FluoKin), as a high precision X-ray movement analysis tool, was used for the first time in vivo with equine tendons. The strain in the metacarpal region of the sound SDFT was 2.86% during walk and 6.78% during trot. When injured, the strain increased to 3.38% during walk and decreased to 5.96% during trot. The baseline strain in the mid-metacarpal region was 3.13% during walk and 6.06% during trot and, when injured, decreased to 2.98% and increased to 7.61%, respectively. Following tendon injury, the mid-metacarpal region contributed less to the overall strain during walk but showed increased contribution during trot. Using this marker-based FluoKin technique, direct, high-precision, and long-term strain measurements in the same individual are possible. We conclude that FluoKin is a powerful tool for gaining deeper insight into equine tendon biomechanics.

Description

Keywords

XROMM, collagenase, equine, gait, horse, strain, tendinopathy

Journal Title

Vet Sci

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

2306-7381
2306-7381

Volume Title

8

Publisher

MDPI AG
Sponsorship
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Leipzig University (VetMed2016FW_SG)