Tackling shoulder trauma
THE shoulder joint is a high-motion joint made up of two large bones, the scapula (shoulder blade) and the humerus, which runs from the point of shoulder to the elbow. It is unique in that it doesn’t have collateral ligaments – such ligaments function as stabilisers in all other high-motion joints of the horse’s limbs.
The shoulder joint, therefore, depends on large muscle groups for support. These muscle groups coordinate to move the shoulder joint in four directions, resulting in flexion, extension, abduction (outward movement) and adduction (inward movement) of the upper limb.
HOW DO THEY HAPPEN?
TRAUMATIC shoulder injuries usually result from an impact at high speed, such as a fall or a
