Page 346 - The Veterinary Care of the Horse

• Tendons are responsible for movement of a joint as they transfer force from a muscle to

the opposite side of a joint.
VetBooks.ir • Both tendons and muscles absorb some of the forces that are generated during movement

and so protect the articular surfaces from potentially damaging forces.

THE DIAGNOSIS OF JOINT DISEASE

Diagnosis of joint disease is usually by clinical examination (see Examination of the Lame
Horse on page 90), followed up by further investigations.

Clinical examination

Signs of joint disease may include:
• swelling of the joint, known as a synovial effusion; the joint becomes distended due to

increased production of synovial fluid

• swelling of the soft tissues around the joint
• bony enlargement (Figure 8.2)

• heat around the joint

• tenderness on palpation of the soft tissues; although articular cartilage has no nerve
supply, there are many free nerve endings in the tissues around a joint and these become

more sensitive if the joint is inflamed

• pain on flexion or extension of the joint
• decreased range of motion of the joint

• abnormal posture

• lameness which may be sudden or gradual in onset

• muscle wasting.