To the bone

Are you searching for a complete guide to joint injections? The hunt is over. Thijs de Bont MRCVS demystifies their contents, application and use in pain and performance management

MOST horse owners are familiar with joint injections. "I get his hocks done every year," is a phrase we've all heard, accepted, and just moved on. But what does this really mean? Is it right, or even necessary?

Joint injections are technically known as intra-articular injections and are often referred to as intrasynovial injections. Intrasynovial injections also include injections into other synovial structures that are not joints specifically but are closed synovial compartments, such as tendon sheaths or bursae.

Joint injections allow for localised, targeted treatment of a specific area, maximising the dose of medication at the target site and minimising any potential systemic effects. They are used to reduce inflammation and therefore pain, which results in an improvement and often resolution of lameness.

They improve flexibility and the horse’s ability to train key muscle groups. In some cases they can even be disease-modifying.

Joint injections can be used both to improve comfort and consequently welfare, and to ultimately enhance performance levels in our equine athletes.

AT A GLANCE

EQUINE joints are made up of cartilage, bone and soft tissue, all of which have injury potential. The different types of joint include:

High-motion, such as the fetlock or stifle joints

Low-motion, such as the lower hock (tarsometatarsal and centrodistal) joints

Fibrocartilaginous, for example the sacroiliac joint

Injuries to any of these structures cause inflammation. Joints may appear puffy (joint effusion) due to increased production of joint (synovial) fluid. Further clinical signs may include heat, pain on flexion with a reduced range of motion and, of course, lameness.