Accessory Ligament Injury (AAEP 2003)

While it might be easy to forget about the small accessory ligament that anchors the superficial digital flexor tendon to the upper foreleg bone (radius), acute desmitis (ligament inflammation) of this structure has now been shown to be a significant cause of pronounced, transient lameness in Thoroughbred racehorses.
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While it might be easy to forget about the small accessory ligament that anchors the superficial digital flexor tendon to the upper foreleg bone (radius), acute desmitis (ligament inflammation) of this structure has now been shown to be a significant cause of pronounced, transient lameness in Thoroughbred racehorses. Johanna Reimer, VMD, Dipl. ACVIM, of Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Ky., presented her findings on this injury at the 2003 American Association of Equine Practitioners convention in New Orleans, La., on Nov. 20.

Previous research had described injury to the accessory ligament of the superficial digital flexor tendon (AL-SDFT) in racehorses, sport horses, and pleasure horses, with the problem often being accompanied by other problems such as synovitis, tendonitis, and proximal suspensory desmitis. The prognosis was usually fair in previous studies, Reimer noted, with treatments including intrathecal (within the sheath) hyaluronic acid and corticosteroids along with controlled exercise at six months post-injury.

She diagnosed the condition in 27 Thoroughbred racehorses and one American Saddlebred (which was left out of the analysis) after they were presented with the following clinical signs:

  • Transient lameness in eight horses; two had been pulled up during races;

  • Persistent effusion (constant swelling) of the carpal sheath in 12 horses;

  • Palpable thickening behind the middle of the knee (all cases);

  • Recurrent effusion of the carpal sheath in four horses; and/or

  • Apparent thickening of the proximal (upper) SDFT that looks like a bowed tendon in 13 horses.

One horse was a 2-year-old, seven were 3-year-olds, 11 were four to five years old, and eight were six years old or older. Nineteen horses had their right forelimbs affected, seven horses had their left forelimb affected, and one horse had the injury in the left fore, then in the right upon his return to racing

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Written by:

Christy West has a BS in Equine Science from the University of Kentucky, and an MS in Agricultural Journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

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