Racing performance of Swedish Standardbred trotting horses with proximal palmar/plantar first phalangeal (Birkeland) fragments compared to fragment free controls.

Authors: Carmalt James L, Borg Hanna, Näslund Hans, Waldner Cheryl

Journal: Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997)

DOI: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2014.07.017 PubMed: 25163613Log in to save

Summary

# Editorial Summary: Proximal Palmar/Plantar First Phalangeal Fragments and Racing Performance Swedish researchers examined whether Standardbred trotters diagnosed with proximal palmar/plantar first phalangeal (Birkeland) fragments experienced compromised racing careers compared to unaffected controls, challenging assumptions about the performance impact of this common fetlock pathology. A retrospective cohort analysis tracked 174 horses with osteochondral fragmentation and 613 radiographically sound controls through their competitive records, comparing race speeds, earnings, and career longevity using generalised estimating equations and multivariable regression across 16,448 total races. Fragmentary horses demonstrated no significant difference in racing speed relative to controls—either before or after surgical intervention—with no measurable speed loss pre-operatively or improvement post-operatively, and career earnings and lifetime starts remaining statistically equivalent between groups. These findings suggest that proximal palmar/plantar first phalangeal fragments may not substantially impair athletic function in harness racing horses, prompting reconsideration of whether routine surgical removal provides clinically meaningful benefit sufficient to justify the associated costs, recovery time, and potential complications for practitioners advising owners on management strategies.

Read the full abstract on PubMed

Practical Takeaways

•Surgical intervention for proximal palmar/plantar first phalangeal fragments may not provide the performance benefits previously assumed in racing Standardbreds
•Horses with these fragments can maintain competitive racing careers comparable to unaffected horses without surgery
•Consider conservative management or delayed surgical intervention for these fragments, as surgery does not appear to improve subsequent racing performance

Key Findings

•No significant difference in racing speed between horses with POF fractures and radiographically negative controls (174 affected vs 613 controls across 16,448 races)
•Horses with POF showed no change in speed before or after surgical intervention
•Career earnings and lifetime starts were not significantly different between POF-affected and control horses
•Return to racing timeline (days between last pre-surgery and first post-surgery race) was comparable between groups, questioning surgical benefit

Conditions Studied

proximal palmar/plantar first phalangeal osteochondral fragment (pof)fetlock joint fracturebirkeland fragment

Related References

Racing performance in Standardbred trotting horses with proximal palmar/plantar first phalangeal fragments relative to the timing of surgery.

Carmalt J L, Borg H, Näslund H, Waldner C(2015)Equine veterinary journal

Qualitative and quantitative documentation of the racing performance of 461 Thoroughbred racehorses after arthroscopic removal of dorsoproximal first phalanx osteochondral fractures (1986-1995).

Colón J L, Bramlage L R, Hance S R, Embertson R M(2000)Equine veterinary journal

Plantar osteochondral fragments in young Standardbreds are associated with minimal joint inflammation at the time of surgical removal.

McCoy Annette M, Secor Erica J, Roady Patrick J, Gray Sarah M, Klein Julie, Gutierrez-Nibeyro Santiago D(2023)Equine veterinary journal

Osteochondral fragments of the pastern joint at the origin of the collateral ligament of the distal sesamoid bone: performance after arthroscopic removal (2000-2015).

Moyer Christine T, Bramlage Lawrence R, Werre Stephen R, Ruggles Alan, Embertson Rolf, Hopper Scott(2019)Veterinary surgery : VS

A 10-year study of arthroscopic surgery in racing Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses with osteochondral fragmentation of the carpus.

Graham R J T Y, Rosanowski S M, McILWRAITH C W(2020)Equine veterinary journal