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Surface strain on the dorsomedial metacarpus of yearling Thoroughbreds at different speeds and gaits on a treadmill
Author(s) -
DAVIES H. M. S.,
McCARTHY R. N.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
equine veterinary journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.82
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 2042-3306
pISSN - 0425-1644
DOI - 10.1111/j.2042-3306.1994.tb04868.x
Subject(s) - metacarpus , strain (injury) , treadmill , strain gauge , compression (physics) , strain rate , materials science , anatomy , medicine , composite material
Summary Stacked rectangular rosette strain gauges were used to measure surface bone strain on the dorsomedial cortex of the third metacarpal bones in 6 yearling (16 to 19 months old) Thoroughbred horses during exercise on a treadmill. The peak principal compressive and tensile strains, angle of the peak strains and strain rate during loading were calculated and compared with speed and gait. At speeds ranging from 4 to 16.5 m/s there was compression of the dorsomedial cortex of the metacarpus and the magnitude of compression and rate of compression were proportional to the speed of exercise. At the walk (2 m/s) tension was recorded in some strides. The mean maximum compressive strains in the 6 horses were −966 μstrain at 2 m/s; −1630 μstrain at 4 m/s; −2172 μstrain at 6 m/s; −2857 μstrain at 8 m/s; −3500 μstrain at 10 m/s; and −3911 μstrain at 12 m/s. Recordings from 3 horses gave a mean −5028 μstrain at 14 m/s. One horse gave a mean −6296 μstrain at 16.5 m/s. These strains were all about 25% higher than those recorded from the metacarpus of adult Thoroughbreds under similar exercise conditions. It was concluded that the higher strains may predispose the young Thoroughbred racehorse to dorsal metacarpal disease.