Two Multicenter Surveys on Equine Back-Pain 10 Years a Part.
Authors: Riccio Barbara, Fraschetto Claudia, Villanueva Justine, Cantatore Federica, Bertuglia Andrea
Journal: Frontiers in veterinary science
Summary
Back pain significantly undermines equine performance, yet veterinarians lack a standardised diagnostic and therapeutic framework—a problem that prompted researchers to survey European equine practitioners in 2006 and again in 2016 to track evolving clinical approaches. The 2006 survey captured 47 respondents whilst the 2016 iteration engaged 168 practitioners across eight European countries, allowing assessment of how diagnostic and treatment protocols had shifted over the decade. Clinical examination remained the cornerstone of assessment in both periods, with 97% using digital pressure on paravertebral muscles and 90% employing digital mobilisation; however, diagnostic analgesia remained underutilised despite its confirmatory value, and imaging (radiography and ultrasonography) continued to dominate investigations despite difficulties in establishing definitive diagnoses. A notable shift occurred in therapeutic approach: intra-articular corticosteroid injections increased from 80% uptake in 2006 to 92% in 2016, with ultrasound-guided techniques becoming standard for facet and sacroiliac interventions, whilst complementary modalities—osteopathy, kinesiotherapy, and acupuncture—rose from just 20% adoption to between 22–40% by 2016. For practitioners, these findings suggest that whilst traditional palpation and imaging remain essential, integrating multimodal treatment strategies and adopting more sophisticated injection techniques reflects contemporary best practice, though the authors emphasise that back-pain management would benefit from further evidence-based research to establish truly consolidated diagnostic workflows.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Back pain diagnosis remains challenging and relies heavily on clinical palpation skills; integrating diagnostic analgesia blocks into your workflow can help confirm the source of pain more definitively
- •If using injection-based treatments, ultrasound guidance for vertebral facet and sacroiliac joint injections has become standard practice among peers and may improve targeting accuracy
- •Consider discussing complementary therapies (osteopathy, kinesiotherapy, acupuncture) with clients as evidence of their use among equine practitioners has grown significantly
Key Findings
- •Diagnostic approach to equine back pain relies primarily on palpation (97% digital pressure, 90% mobilization) rather than confirmatory analgesia, which is rarely employed
- •Use of corticosteroid injections for back pain treatment increased from 80% (2006) to 92% (2016) of veterinarians surveyed
- •Complementary therapies for back disorders increased substantially over the decade: osteopathy 20% to 40%, kinesiotherapy 8% to 29%, acupuncture 5% to 22%
- •Radiography and ultrasonography remain the most frequently used diagnostic imaging modalities, with ultrasound increasingly used for guided injections to facet joints and sacroiliac region