b'SPORTS MEDICINE STACEY OKE, DVM, MSCTheHorse.com/Sports-MedicineThoracolumbar Pain: Its ComplicatedNarrowing the cause or causes of spinal pain from withers to pelvisand addressing themT he horses spine is a single rowBack problems are a frequently rec- and the movement at the joint level of vertebrae joined together byognized problem in performance horsesbecomes asymmetric, then a horse with such as show jumpers, eventers, dressagea mild injury can continue to function synovial-fluid-filled pouches that allow frictionless movement. Bony pro- horses, and racehorses, says Coloradofor a period of time without observ-jections resembling shark fins emanateState University Veterinary Teachingable consequences, says Sheila Schils, from the dorsal aspect (top) and sides ofHospital professor Dean A. Hendrick- PhD, co-founder of equine rehabilitation each vertebra. Horses have approximatelyson, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVS. The exacttherapy provider EquiNew, in River Falls, 54 vertebrae along the length of the spine,prevalence, however, remains uncertain,Wisconsin. In fact, the horse may contin-including 18 in the thoracic region (overparticularly as it seems to vary dependingue to perform successfully at a high level. the ribs, T1-T18) and six in the lumbaron breed, discipline, age, sex, conforma- That said, this unbalance will eventually area (in the loin, L1-L6, or L1-5 in sometion, and other factors.catch up to the horse, and performance Arabians).While some back issues come on sud- will begin to suffer. Many muscles, tendons, and ligamentsdenly (e.g., traumatic injury resulting inThis scenario, Schils says, is not unlike support the vertebrae and the articula- muscle damage or fractured vertebra),a poorly aligned tire. The car might con-tions between them. Injuries can occurmany are insidious, developing so gradu- tinue traveling down the road; however, anywhere along the length of the spineally that owners easily miss the discom- the misalignment forces the driver to and can involve any of these bony or softfort at first.twist the steering wheel to keep the car tissue structures.If a previously healthy back is injuredstraight. While the driver might become Back problems are frequently rec-ognized in performance horses such as show jumpers, eventers, dressage horses, and racehorses.PAULA DA SILVATheHorse.com|The HorseFebruary 202045SportsMed_Feb.indd 45 1/3/20 11:45 AM'