Essentials of Clinical Anatomy of the Equine Locomotor System

Book Preface

Anatomy is the mother science of a number of scientific fields and clinical procedures. Descriptive anatomy offers the foundation to understanding functional anatomy and bio-
mechanics. In the clinical field, it is the basis of the physical examination, an important part of the evaluation of the horse’s locomotor system. Understanding the strategy made by the horse to relieve biomechanical stresses on painful areas is essential in the diagnosis of lameness. Interpretation of diagnostic analgesic techniques and potential cross-reactions is also directly related to the knowledge of regional anatomic features. The need for precise information on descriptive anatomy and cross-sectional anatomy is increasingly important following the development and the clinical use of sophisticated diagnostic imaging techniques, including 3D representation. Anatomy and imaging techniques have also been incorporated in the therapeutic field with the development of real-time guided injections in precise structures, and biomechanics is gaining a paramount interest in the expanding field of rehabilitation.
This book continues on from The Equine Distal Limb: An Atlas of Clinical Anatomy and Comparative Imaging; in it, the complete thoracic limb, axial areas (neck, back and pelvis) and the complete pelvic limb are considered. For every area of the horse locomotor system, the superficial anatomy is presented to introduce the physical examination. Bone anatomy is considered through radiographic images (digital imaging facilitating the use of this technique). Dissections of the superficial and deep anatomical layers of each aspect of a specific area are presented and followed by cross-sections displaying the topographical aspect and relationships of anatomical structures.
The objective of this atlas is to provide the practitioner with all the clinically useful anatomical features needed to facilitate achievement and interpretation of diagnostic procedures, especially cross-sectional imaging such as ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). It will also be useful to veterinary students who have little access to dissection, to complement their teaching material or provide a reference guide to help their access in the clinical sciences. In this book, trainers, riders and every person interested in horses will find illustrations of the detailed, and sometimes unexpected, constitution of the equine musculoskeletal system, which plays a key role in the horse’s motion and needs to be an overriding consideration in training and rehabilitation.
J.-M. Denoix