Avulsion Stifle Fractures in Horses

A horse's stifle is the joint we would call a knee on humans. Fractures are cracks or breaks in the bone. An avulsion fracture is when a piece of bone is pulled away by an attached ligament or tendon.

  1. Causes

    • Fractures usually result from direct impact caused by a fall, strenuous activity or from kicking or colliding with another object. For example, unusually strong action of ligaments during strenuous activity or a fall can cause an avulsion fracture of the patella where the patellar ligaments attach. The fall or strain causes a sudden, forceful contraction of the quadriceps muscles.

    Treatments

    • Small avulsion fractures may not require treatment but if there is any doubt, the horse should receive full arthroscopic examination of the joint. Treatment may include surgery, limb casts or splints and rest.

    Prognosis

    • The stifle joint is complex and avulsion fractures also damage soft tissue. Foals may be successfully treated but severe injuries can end racing or other professional horse careers and may be life-threatening. Arthritis and other degenerative joint diseases can set in after the fracture has healed.