Pelvic Fracture
- Topics: Article, Fractures, Hindlimb, Recovering from Injury & Surgery
My 6-year-old mare suffered a pelvic fracture from a pasture accident five months ago. My veterinarian examined her and prescribed stall rest. What timeframe can I expect for starting light exercise and how can I tell if she is ready? Should I expect to ride her again?
A Most pelvic fractures have a good prognosis for healing and return to athletic function. Hairline or incomplete fractures of the ileum or ischium heal relatively quickly in 90-120 days with stall rest and small paddock confinement. These horses usually return to normal function.
Displaced fractures and avulsion fractures, where muscle attachments have pulled pieces of bone off of the main structure, need more time for the muscle attachments and bone fragments to heal back to the main bony frame. Generally, the greater the displacement of fragments, the longer the healing time and poorer the prognosis. These horses might need longer confinement time and a slower return to work with more variable results. Assess any obstruction of the pelvic canal in a mare that might be bred.
Fractures of the acetabulum or hip joint have a poor prognosis. Interruption of the normal cartilage surface in these weight-bearing joints typically results in osteoarthritis, which horses tolerate very poorly. Surgery is not successful
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