Tendons and Ligaments

Question 1

Tendons connect ______ to ______

Answer 1

muscle to bone

Question 2

Tendon function

Answer 2

facilitate movement, can provide some support/stabilization

Question 3

How are tendons named:

Answer 3

for their location and primary function

Question 4

Important tendons in the front and hind limbs:

Answer 4

-deep digital flexor
-superficial digital flexor
-digital extensor

Question 5

Ligaments connect ______ to ______

Answer 5

bone to bone

Question 6

Ligaments function

Answer 6

provide support and stabilization

Question 7

Collateral ligaments

Answer 7

located on medial and lateral sides of joints, usually positioned vertically

Question 8

Cruciate ligaments

Answer 8

usually located intro-articularly, form an “X” pattern

Question 9

Suspensory ligaments

Answer 9

function to “suspend” a bone/bones or joints

Question 10

Important ligaments in the front and rear limbs:

Answer 10

-suspensory ligament (interosseous)
-extensor branch
-sesamoidian ligaments (intersesamoidian and distal sesamoidian)

Question 11

Ligaments in the rear leg

Answer 11

stifle: patellar ligaments
hock: plantar ligaments

Question 12

Similarities between ligaments and tendons

Answer 12

-dense band of connective tissue (mostly collagen) organized in a parallel and overlapping fibers
-semi-elastic

Question 13

Differences between ligaments and tensons

Answer 13

-function (some high motion tendons may have a sheath)
-blood supply

Question 14

Do tendons or ligaments have a higher blood supply?

Answer 14

tendons - because they’re connected to muscle

Question 15

Do tendons or ligaments heal better/faster?

Answer 15

tendons because they have a better blood supply

Question 16

Tenocytes

Answer 16

-specialized fibroblasts
-main function is to produce collagen
-located in tendon fibers

Question 17

Tendon fibers

Answer 17

-have tenocytes
-has crimp so they can expand/contract
-made out of collagen

Question 18

Tendinities

Answer 18

inflammation of a tendon

Question 19

Desmitis

Answer 19

inflammation of a ligament

Question 20

Consequences of tendon or ligament injuries:

Answer 20

-bowed tendon
-dropped fetlock
-curb

Question 21

Curb

Answer 21

damage to the plantar ligament

Question 22

Bowed tendon

Answer 22

damage to either the deep or superficial digital flexor tendon

Question 23

Dropped fetlock

Answer 23

damage to the suspensory apparatus (sesamoidian ligaments, bones, etc.)

Question 24

Causes of fiber damage in tendons and ligaments:

Answer 24

-trauma/laceration
-acute overload
-repeated load and gradual degeneration

Question 25

Too much inflammation can...

Answer 25

cause more damage

Question 26

Response to injury to fibers

Answer 26

-hemorrhage -clotting -inflammatory response (heat, pain, swelling)

Question 27

Inflammatory cells...

Answer 27

bring more blood to the site

Question 28

What begins repair to an injury?

Answer 28

fibroblasts

Question 29

What do fibroblasts do?

Answer 29

synthesize collagen at injury site (collagen is not organized and not attached to current fibers)

Question 30

About how long does it take for inflammation to decrease?

Answer 30

1-2 months

Question 31

When is pain reduced by?

Answer 31

about 2 months

Question 32

What happens at 2-6 months of healing?

Answer 32

-collagen organizes -connects to old fibers -mild exercise -minimize adhesions

Question 33

What does mild exercise do during healing?

Answer 33

helps to stretch and align the fibers and minimize adhesions

Question 34

What happens at 6-9 months of healing?

Answer 34

-healing completes -may or may not return to original strength -may be less elastic than original

Question 35

Diagnosis of injury

Answer 35

-heat, pain, swelling -ultrasound

Question 36

What to look for in an ultrasound of a tendon/ligament injury

Answer 36

-fiber alignment -cross sectional area -length

Question 37

Treatment of injury at the time of injury

Answer 37

Goal: limit further damage -rest, support wraps Goal: control inflammation -cold hosing -NSAIDS

Question 38

Medical/surgical/physical interventions for injury treatment:

Answer 38

-continue to control inflammation -regenerative/biologic therapies -rehabilitation and hoof care

Question 39

Regenerative/biologic therapies:

Answer 39

-platelet rich plasma (PRP) -stem cells -both have anti-inflammatory roles and may contribute growth factors to promote healing -hand walking (if able)

Question 40

Rehabilitation and hoof care

Answer 40

-gradual exercise -monitor healing with ultrasound -hoof balance and shoeing is important

Question 41

Prognosis of an injury:

Answer 41

-depends on the extent of the injury -depends on the horse's job (may return to lower level of work/competition) -may be sustainable to re-injury

Question 42

What takes the longest to heal?

Answer 42

ligaments

Question 43

What takes the shortest amount of time to heal?

Answer 43

bone