Horse lamness - horse chiropractor mass

Stall Calls with Dr. Bruce Indek: Your Horse's Knees

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

KneesYour horse’s knees are anatomically similar to your wrist. The bones of the knee are comprised of rows of bones titled the CARPELS. These same bones can be found in the human wrist. There exists a bone in the horse’s knee that is not found in our wrist called the ACCESSORY BONE. This bone is partly responsible for locking the knee on standing. When the horse starts to move and bends the knee [called flexion], the accessory bone should unlock the knee. In some cases this bone does not unlock fully and inhibits your horse from fully flexing his knee and shortening the stride. Many times in my chiropractic evaluation I find this bone “stuck” and a simple adjustment easily unlocks it. The picture above is a demonstration of evaluating the Carpel Bones and Knee.

There are no muscles below the knee but rather just bones, ligaments and tendons. You can think of the lower leg as a pulley and rope set up. The bones as fulcrums around which the tendons of the upper leg muscles attach and move those bones. There are long extensions of tendons to the hoof from above the knee so there is a lot of tension placed on these soft tissues. If there are any issues such as “stuck” joints in the leg then there can be an enormous stress placed on these tendons.

Many times the entire stress on the front legs starts in the rear of the horse and many owners are quick to blame the hocks or stifle. Well I have to tell you that yes the hock and stifle do get over stressed frequently, but many times the low back and pelvis are subluxated. This subluxated “stuck joint” will not allow the horse to engage his hind end efficiently and thus push off harder on the stifle and hock causing inflammation and pain. Yes it is important to treat this inflammation but you must address the entire cause of the stress and indeed it may be a chiropractic problem. Once this stress has had time to fester then the front legs alter their biomechanical {movement} function and the horse now has a front leg problem to contend with.

In summary you must take the whole horse into consideration and always ask yourself what caused this symptom and why did it occur. Treating the whole horse will help prevent future re-occurrence.

Dr. Bruce Indek has been in Chiropractic Practice since 1983. Graduated from National College of Chiropractic and has been treating riders and other athletes. Certified by the American Chiropractic Assoc Sports Council in Sports Injuries. Director of Chiropractic for the Boston Marathon. Graduate of Options for Animals Chiropractic College and Board Certified in Animal Chiropractic by the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association. Worked on the New England Dressage Spring and Fall Festival in Saugerties NY. Travels throughout the USA treating horses and riders from Dressage to Barrel Racing. On the Panel for Ask the Expert for Dressage Today, and Chronicle for the Horse online Articles. Contributing writer for the Pet Gazette in Eastern Massachusetts. Dr. Indek is a level one dressage rider as well.