Development of An Anybody Musculoskeletal Model of The Thoroughbred Forelimb.
Authors: Bardin Alienor L, Tang Liqiong, Panizzi Luca, Rogers Chris W, Colborne G Robert
Journal: Journal of equine veterinary science
Summary
# Editorial Summary: AnyBody Musculoskeletal Model of the Thoroughbred Forelimb Musculoskeletal injuries remain the primary cause of equine retirement and mortality, yet understanding the forces acting through tendons, ligaments and muscles has historically required invasive measurement techniques or models limited to distal structures. Alienor and colleagues developed a comprehensive computational model of the entire equine forelimb using the AnyBody Modelling System, incorporating six limb segments, 11 muscle groups and 17 ligaments, then validated this model against kinematic data collected from four Thoroughbreds moving at trot and canter. Joint excursions predicted by the model aligned reasonably well with published literature; crucially, strain patterns in the suspensory apparatus structures matched established findings, with peak loading occurring in mid-to-late stance phase, whilst the distal palmar ligaments peaked during mid-stance and the lacertus fibrosus showed peak strain at the stance-swing transition. The trailing forelimb experienced significantly higher tendon and ligament strains during canter, a finding with potential implications for understanding lateralised injury patterns. For practitioners, this open-access model offers a non-invasive tool for predicting soft tissue loading across the entire forelimb during various gaits—valuable for rehabilitation planning, training load management and investigating how individual conformational variations might alter tissue strain patterns, though further refinement of tendon and ligament attachment points is needed to improve accuracy.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •This model provides a non-invasive method to understand load distribution across multiple structures simultaneously, reducing reliance on invasive measurement techniques for injury investigation
- •Trailing forelimb loading is greatest during canter, which may inform training and injury prevention strategies for cantering horses
- •Peak ligament and tendon strains occurring at specific phases of stance can guide timing of diagnostic imaging and rehabilitation protocols
Key Findings
- •A comprehensive musculoskeletal model of the equine forelimb was successfully developed incorporating 6 segments, 11 muscle groups, and 17 ligaments
- •Modeled joint excursions agreed reasonably with published literature despite variations in breed, gait, and surface
- •Suspensory apparatus tendons showed maximum strain in mid-stance or end-of-stance phase, consistent with previous reports
- •Tendon and ligament strains at canter were greatest when the forelimb was the trailing limb