Patterns of injury

Question 1

What is a primary issue?

Answer 1

Pathology, injury or disease

Question 2

Whay is a secondary issue?

Answer 2

Issues that arise due to consequence of the primary issue

Question 3

When do we see differences occurring in patterns of injury?

Answer 3

• Multiple primary issues occurring together
• Primary issues resolved quicker than secondary
• Compensations causing injury - e.g. If horses injures hind limbs and overloads the forelimb for a long time then this can cause a cannon bone issue which then will become a primary issue
• Mechanical lameness - Permanent changes to movement that may cause secondary issues

Question 4

How do animals escape pain?

Answer 4

Immobilisation (disuse/stabilising)
Weight bearing/offloading
Can be seen as behavioural changes

Question 5

Immobilisation

Answer 5

If complete immobilisation is not possible that stabilisation occurs
○ Muscles recruited in isometric contraction to immobilise a joint (can be any type of contraction but is usually isometric)
○ Muscles will eventually fatigue
○ Fatigued muscles will work less efficiently
○ Can cause microdamage over time
○ Muscle spasms, adhesions, trigger points and fascial restrictions are all tissue states that can occur as a consequence

Question 6

Consequences of long term immobilisation

Answer 6

• Atrophy - Usually start being able to see within a week-10 days
• Muscular fatigue
• Thickening of synovial fluid
  - Can reduce RoM
  - Contraction of joint capsule
  - Nutrients in the joint space can become compromised
• Tendon becomes rigid
  - Collagen looses elasticity
• Fascial restrictions
  - Usually a secondary issue due to damage to muscular tissue (fatigue/atrophy) causing dehydration
  - Dehydration can also be caused by reduced blood/lymph flow
• Oedema
  - Due to lack of blood/lymph flow

Question 7

Weight shifting

Answer 7

• Occurs when animal doesn’t want to weight bear a specific area
• Most common with limb injuries but can occur with spine/back injuries
• Weight can move contra-laterally, unilaterally, to the opposing diagonal, or front to back

Question 8

Consequences of weigh shifting

Answer 8

• Increase in concussive forces both statically and dynamically
  - Can cause degeneration of the joints
  - Hypertrophy in limb with increased loading
• Changes to stance or gait
• Skeletal misalignment

Question 9

Gait changes

Answer 9

• Can occur to either off loading or immobilisations
• Can include
  - Immobilisation
  - Changes to number of tracks
  - Changes to flight phase
  - Changes in protraction and retraction distances
  - Excessive movements elsewhere in the body