Joint Injuries

Injuries to joints are one of the most common lameness problems in sport horses. The most common injuries are bone chips (intra-articular chip fractures) in the knee (carpus) and ankle (fetlock) joint or inflammation of the synovial membrane and joint capsule (synovitis and capsulitis). When there are small fragments of articular cartilage and bone in the joint, they cause irritation to the synovial membrane and clinically appear the same as synovitis and capsulitis. A specific diagnosis is usually made after viewing radiographs (x-rays).

Cases of synovitis and capsulitis can be treated with intra-articular injections and therapeutic medications. The careful use of the right corticosteroid in the right dose can be effective and safe. Other drugs that are use for the treatment of inflammation in these joints include hyaluronic acid and polysulfated glycosaminoglycans (psgag). While synovitis and capsultitis are most commonly recognized in the knee and ankle, they also commonly occur in the coffin joint, the distal hock joint and the stifle.