Let’s look at the compromised internal structures and the inappropriate relationship between the hoof capsule and distal interphalangeal joint and how that can modify the weight distribution within the foot.
The extra weight is transferred medially-laterally at the foot quarters, increasing the loading on the laminae, prompting them to relinquish their connection with the hoof capsule, and triggering the structural changes that generate hoof wall flares.
My autopsy findings reveal that at this stage of biological change in a compensating equine foot, the collateral cartilages have become integrated with the digital cushion, which can be understood as the body’s stabilisation effort to improve function and soundness.
During an autopsy, a healthy digital cushion can be cleanly resected from its internal housing as a complete unit. However, when the palmar section of the foot displays signs of stress and the loading forces have affected the structural components of the foot, the body’s reaction is to fuse the opposing structures, laying down extra sole material to reduce internal movement and prolong soundness.
When the distal cartilage invades the digital cushion, the palmar section of the foot reaches a critical point. The foot starts to work against itself, triggering inaccurate loading forces. Instead of expanding on landing, the structures tend to implode, causing the distal cartilage to be pulled in instead of expanding outwards on impact. This dysfunctional inward movement of the distal cartilage pressures the distal phalangeal artery and proper palmar nerve, changing the vascular flow and affecting the neural pathways in the equine foot. It affects the artery branches of the digital cushion, including the laminar corium to the heels and bars of the equine foot.
So many of the orthopaedic issues we see in today's equines result from the palmar section of the equine foot's inability to maintain an appropriate anatomical and functional alignment and a functional relationship with the hoof capsule.
The relevance of the palmar section of the equine foot is especially important, as it is a common site of pain that is always commanding the attention of veterinarians and farriers alike, who go on to instigate invasive strategies such as break-over devices, bar shoes, and other mechanical methods they believe will improve anatomical and functional alignment.
Thanks to recent advances in clinical and diagnostic practice, we can now identify injuries that were previously only detectable through diagnostic imaging. These have improved our comprehension of the structural and functional macro-pathology of the palmar aspect of the equine foot and the corresponding neuromuscular tension, causing the industry to rethink how it answers the questions of rebalancing the equine foot.
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