Equine Orthopaedics and Rheumatology Q&A 09

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Question	Answer		Article
What is your diagnosis?	A fracture of the distal part of one of the splint bones.		Link to Article
Assuming that the injury is not associated with external trauma, how is it likely to have occurred?	These fractures are thought to occur as a result of stresses placed on the splint bone by the adjacent suspensory ligament. It has been suggested that, during hard exercise, the suspensory ligament snaps back against the relatively fixed small metacarpal or metatarsal bones, causing the distal part of the bone to fracture.		Link to Article
What associated structure may have been injured?	The adjacent suspensory ligament branch may have been sprained or even ruptured.		Link to Article
If the horse has both problems, which is most likely to cause persistent lameness?	The splint bone fracture is unlikely to heal by bony union, but the fibrous union formed does not usually cause any problems. However an associated sprain of a branch of the suspensory ligament may well continue to cause lameness.		Link to Article