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If you mention stifle issues, it is likely that there are lameness problems. A horse with stifle issues will likely be lame in his hind end. You can have lameness on either the hind end or one of both, depending on which stifles you are dealing with. The swelling and pain in the stifle will typically be temporary. Problems with one leg can cause problems in the other. This is because the weight of the affected leg has increased over time. A thorough physical examination, radiographs and possibly ultrasound are all necessary to diagnose the problem. Although the diagnosis will determine your prognosis, it can be difficult to know what you should do. Your horse may not be lame, but he will lock his stifle. This is called a patella. These horses will get their leg stuck out behind them and will be unable to flex (bend) the leg đ€ Having the horse back up slowly or manipulating the patella will normally allow the patella to release đ Treatment is directed to building the muscles of the area by allowing the horse to move at will and not stabling the horse đ You can also help muscle growth by having hills in your pasture. [1]
The patella joint isnât particularly mobile, but it allows the shield-shaped bone to âfloatâ above the femur, protecting it andâmost importantâacting as an anchor point for the three patellar ligaments: The âmedial patellar ligamentâ is on the inside of the joint; the âmiddle patellar ligamentâ runs down the face of the joint, and the âlateral patellar ligamentâ is on the outside. The patella is attached to the tibia (lower bone in the stifle), by these ligaments. If youâre familiar with the condition known as âstickingâ or âlockingâ stifles, technically called âupward fixation of the patella,â youâre familiar with how complex and finicky this arrangement of bones and ligaments can be. Melissa Martin (Khamis Mushayt Saudi Arabia, April 25, 2020). [2]
Practicalhorsemanmag.com Further information is available at www.stifle.org. Anatomy and Function The stifle is equivalent to the human knee, and like the knee, itâs comprised of four bones: the femur, the tibia, the patella and the nonfunctioning remnant fibula, which is fused to the tibia. Three joints connect the bones: The medial (inner), the lateral, and outer femorotibial joints. Menisci, two cartilage-like discs that look like a cushion and serve to stabilize the joint and limit their range of motion. 14 ligaments also bind them together. Rogerick Barbour, Haifa (Israel) last edited this article 18 days ago. [3]
The horse’s stifle, which is the largest joint of the horse, is comparable to the human knee. Similar bones, ligaments and soft tissue are found in the stifle, which also has a patella and menisci ligaments. Strong patella ligaments can help stabilize the joint by fixing the patella to the medial condyle. A particular feature of the horseâs stifle is that this medial femoral condyle is much larger than the lateral one. The three patella ligaments help hook the patella into position so the horse can rest standing for hours without using its muscles, this is part of the so called âstay apparatusâ of the hind limb. The stifle has two main joints. One is the large femoropatellar, with the other two being smaller medial and lateral femorotibial. Ashlley Bergman, Rupganj Bangladesh (Last emended 32 Days Ago) [4]
Shaina Birris reports at thehorse.comA horse suffering from stifle discomfort may reduce the anterior phase of its stride (where the leg extends forward), and seem to be moving on its toes. On trot-out, upper limb flexion tests can cause lameness. Lasts for a longer It is more than that which occurs after flexion to relieve hock pain. Sometimes, fusion is seen in the stifle(s). There might also be other clinical signs such as performance problems or effusion. A jumping horse may prefer to jump on one side, and will often move away from pain by drifting. Sometimes he might switch between leads. Recurrent or recurring gluteal problems could arise. Back pain A stifle sore horse. Last modified by Rickita Francia from Guiyang in China 74 days ago [5]
Equitopiacenter.com goes on to describe that the stifle (the horseâs true knee), has a patella just like ours. However, there’s a different system called the stay apparatus that allows horses To lock the joint during sleep. Dysfunction occurs when muscles surrounding and supporting this sensitive system are weak. The dysfunction occurs when the muscles do not have adequate tension to improve coordination and medial patellar flexibility, it becomes momentarily strummed against the trochlear edge of the Femur. This is painful and causes Brace the horse’s lumbar spine and limbs. The horse could develop arthritis over time or injury to his patellar ligaments. This could end the horse’s career. Monitoring and checking the condition of your horse’s stifle are essential. Susann Light updated the article on January 6, 2020 [6]
One condition, often found in younger horses (aged 2-6) is the âintermittent upward fixation of the patellaâ or simply a âcatchy stifle.â Dr. Cammack describes this condition: âThe locking mechanism of the stifle is inappropriately keeping the leg in the locked, extended position. They canât bend their leg and it only bends at the fetlock. We treat this one in different ways. Sometimes, weâll do a procedure where we’re have putting a needle in the medial patellar ligament and we split it a little bit and cause it to thicken up and tighten up a little bit to help correct that. So thatâs a pretty simple procedure.â (last emended 56 days ago by Cherina Culver from Misratah, Libya) [7]
Refer to the Article
- https://horses.extension.org/what-are-symptoms-of-stifle-problems/
- https://equusmagazine.com/horse-care/approach-stifle-injuries-15901
- https://practicalhorsemanmag.com/health-archive/stifle-issues-sporthorses-25645
- https://www.horsemagazine.com/thm/2019/06/knees-up-stifle-lameness-in-horses/
- https://thehorse.com/125284/diagnosis-and-treatment-of-stifle-lameness/
- https://www.equitopiacenter.com/weak-stifle-muscles-in-horses-part-1/
- https://www.tsln.com/news/asdasda-354/