Digital dilemmas
THE DEEP DIGITAL flexor tendon (DDFT) extends from behind the knee and hock, down the back of the cannon, behind the fetlock and pastern joints, ultimately attaching to the underside of the pedal bone within the hoof capsule. Its main job is to flex the leg, but it also plays a supporting role at the heel, where the tendon fibres fan out to pass over the navicular.
Injury risk
DDFT injury frequently occurs as the result of repetitive overloading. There may be an increased likelihood of tendon injury if there is underlying tendon degeneration, which may be related to increasing age as well as cumulative exercise. Subtle damage tends to
