Resistance of equine tibiae and radii to side impact loads.
Authors: Piskoty G, Jäggin S, Michel S A, Weisse B, Terrasi G P, Fürst A
Journal: Equine veterinary journal
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Resistance of equine tibiae and radii to side impact loads Understanding how equine long bones respond to high-velocity lateral trauma has remained poorly characterised despite the clinical significance of kick-related injuries; this study sought to quantify the impact energy and force profiles required to fracture or fissure tibiae and radii under conditions replicating authentic equine trauma. Researchers subjected 72 equine bones to controlled drop-impact testing using a 2 kg impactor striking the medial surface at velocities of 6–11 m/s, whilst bones were held under axial preload (2.5 kN) and impact mechanics were captured via high-speed video analysis. Peak impact forces occurred within 0.15–0.30 ms, with maximum contact force rising non-linearly (to the 1.45 power) relative to impact velocity until fracture occurred, with fracture loads ranging from 11–23 kN and requiring 40–90 J of energy. Crucially, the injury patterns generated matched naturally occurring kick injuries, validating the model, whilst tibiae and radii demonstrated comparable biomechanical behaviour—findings that provide quantified benchmarks for developing protective equipment, designing bone implants, and establishing evidence-based thresholds for evaluating traumatic bone injuries in clinical practice.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Understanding the 40-90 J impact energy range required for tibial and radial fractures can inform the design of protective equipment and guards for horses at risk of trauma.
- •The 0.15-0.30 ms impact duration and 11-23 kN fracture force thresholds provide quantifiable targets for developing improved bone implants and rehabilitation protocols for impact-related injuries.
- •The predictable relationship between impact velocity and peak force may help practitioners assess injury severity and guide prognosis in trauma cases involving limb bones.
Key Findings
- •Impact energy of 40-90 J was required to fracture equine tibiae and radii under simulated horse kick conditions.
- •Peak impact force occurred 0.15-0.30 ms after contact initiation and correlated with impact velocity to the 1.45 power (F(max) ≈ 0.926 · v(i)^1.45) when no fracture occurred.
- •Fracture load ranged from 11-23 kN, with considerably greater force scatter in fractured versus fissured bones.
- •Tibiae and radii demonstrated similar impact behaviour characteristics, and bone injuries produced matched those from authentic horse kicks.