Injuries of Metapodial and Acropodial Joints in Horses Participating in Sports

The article examines injuries of the musculoskeletal system, surgical diseases, and their complications in purebred horses aged 3 to 10 years, kept in specialized livestock farms and private households focused on horse breeding, jockey schools, equestrian sports clubs, and those participating in various sports competitions. The study takes into account the age of the horses, environmental conditions, and the biological activity of the organism. Clinical studies were conducted based on anamnesis data, analyzing the time of disease onset, characteristic clinical signs, housing conditions, feeding, training, and participation in competitions. During training and sports competitions, mechanical injuries and their effects on the distal parts of the forelimbs and hind limbs of horses, joint ligaments, and tendons were studied. In particular, the frequency of diseases such as tendinitis, tenosynovitis, and other inflammatory processes was determined, as well as the factors contributing to their development. Comprehensive diagnostic methods were used to establish an accurate diagnosis. In the conditions of our region, the morphological composition of the deep, middle, and superficial flexors of the fingers, as well as the joint ligaments, was studied. The nature of ruptures, stretching, and damage to tendon fibers, their impact on the musculoskeletal system, clinical manifestations, and the main factors causing pathological changes were analyzed. The stages of the inflammatory process in the affected area were also considered. In the study of tendon diseases and their early diagnosis, anamnesis data were collected, and general and specialized examination methods were used. Palpation was performed in active and passive states to determine pain, swelling, and its characteristics, while different types of lameness were observed. To obtain complete information, thermography and radiographic methods were used to identify local temperature increases and structural tissue changes.