Lameness of the Horse / Veterinary Practitioners' Series, No. 1

by John Victor Lacroix

The common ligaments of the tarsal joint are the collateral, the plantar (calcaneo-metatarsal and c. cuboid) and dorsal ligaments (oblique).

The medial (internal lateral) ligament serves to join the medial (internal) tibial malleolus with tibial tarsal (astragalus) and other tarsal bones.

The lateral (external lateral) ligament is inserted to the lateral (external) tibial malleolus and its distal portions are attached to the tibial tarsal (astragalus), fibular tarsal (calcaneum) bone, fourth tarsal (cuboid) and metatarsus bones.

Fig. 44—Left stifle joint; medial view. The capsules are removed. (From Sisson's "Anatomy of the Domestic Animals.")

The plantar ligament (calcaneo-cuboid) is a strong flat band which is attached to the plantar surface of the fibular and fourth tarsal bones (calcaneum and cuboid) and the head of the lateral metatarsal (external small) bone.

The dorsal (oblique) ligament is attached above to the distal tuberosity on the inner side of the tibia. It is inserted below to the central (cuneiform magnum) and third (c. medium) tarsal bones, to the proximal ends of the large and outer small metatarsal bones.

The tarsus is a true hinge joint and because of the great strain which it sustains, is subject to frequent injury. About seventy-five percent of cases of lameness affecting the hind leg may be said to arise from disease of the hock.