Relationship between the shape of the central and third tarsal bones and the presence of tarsal osteoarthritis.
Authors: Sprackman Lucy, Dakin Stephanie G, May Stephen A, Weller Renate
Journal: Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997)
Summary
# Editorial Summary Bone spavin remains a significant cause of lameness and early retirement in horses, yet the relationship between tarsal bone conformation and osteoarthritis development has received limited rigorous investigation. Sprackman and colleagues used computed tomographic imaging and three-dimensional multiplanar reconstructions of cadaver specimens to measure dorsal and plantar heights of the central and third tarsal bones across multiple parasagittal planes, calculating a wedging index and correlating these measurements with osteoarthritic changes graded on CT. Central tarsal bone wedging showed a moderate negative correlation with osteoarthritis in all three affected joint spaces (distal intertarsal, tarsometatarsal, and proximal intertarsal; ρ = -0.43 to -0.49), suggesting that more pronounced wedging is protective or associated with less severe changes, whilst the third tarsal bone demonstrated a more complex relationship—dorsal wedging appeared in mild-to-moderate disease, but severe osteoarthritis was associated with plantar wedging. These findings support the hypothesis that tarsal bone shape influences joint loading mechanics and OA development, with important implications for foal management: identifying and minimising factors that promote dorsal wedging during skeletal development may reduce the incidence of disabling tarsal arthropathy in adult horses.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Monitor tarsal bone conformation in foals and young horses, as wedging of central and third tarsal bones is associated with development of bone spavin in the distal tarsal joints
- •Implement preventive management strategies in foals to minimize wedging of small tarsal bones and reduce osteoarthritis risk
- •Understand that the relationship between bone wedging and severe OA may be more complex than initially hypothesized, with plantar wedging appearing in advanced disease stages
Key Findings
- •Significant moderate negative correlation between central tarsal bone wedging index and osteoarthritis of the distal intertarsal (ρ = -0.45, P<0.01), tarsometatarsal (ρ = -0.49, P<0.01), and proximal intertarsal joints (ρ = -0.43, P<0.01)
- •Dorsal wedging of the third tarsal bone was associated with mild to moderate grades of osteoarthritis
- •Severe cases of tarsal osteoarthritis were associated with plantar wedging of the third tarsal bone rather than dorsal wedging