SPRAINS OF TENDONS AND LIGAMENTS OF THE HIND LEG. 347 



CHAPTER 45. 



SPRAINS OF TENDONS AND LIGAMENTS OF THE HIND LEG. 



699. Sprains of the Hock. 700. Sprain of the Articular ligaments of 

 the hock joint. 701. Treatment. 702. Curb. 703. Treatment. 704. 

 Capped hock. 705. Treatment. 706. Sprains of the ligaments of the 

 Femur. 707. Sprain of the ligaments of, and displacement of the Patella. 

 708. Sprains of the Fetlock Joint. 709. Sprains of the Loins. 



699. Sprains of the Hock. 



Whilst in the fore-leg the seat of sprain is usually in the tendons or 

 ligaments between the knee and the fetlock, in the hind leg it is usually 

 in the Hock. The functions of the hock in progression, and the kind of 

 conformation which predisposes to disease, were explained in the Chapters 

 37 and 38. From the very severe duties which devolve on the hock, we 

 cannot be much surprised that it should be pretty frequently the seat of 

 sprain. See Plates 22, 23, and 24. 



700. Sprain of the articular ligaments of the Hock joint. 



The seat of sprain in the hock is usually in the ligaments, which bind 

 together the various bones of the true, and subsidiary joints of the 

 structure. These ligaments, as we might expect in a structure combining 

 so many bones, are numerous. Any one or more may be sprained ; or 

 any portion of any of the ligaments may be affected. See Plate 28. 



The tendons, which commence at the end of the large muscles of the 

 hind quarters and pass over the hock, are seldom sprained though such 

 an accident may occur. 



701. Treatment. 



The particular part which is sprained is indicated by heat and swelling 

 and to that part the remedies recommended for sprains in the previous 

 Chapter must, according to the degree and circumstance of each case, be 

 applied. 



Very considerable swelling frequently accompanies sprains of the liga- 

 ments of the hock ; but in all such cases the greater part of the swelling 

 is always due to irritation of the various bursae of the different parts of 

 the structure, rather than to the inflammation of the sprained ligament 

 itself. These bursal enlargements are, however, in most cases only tem- 

 porary, and yield to the same treatment as that employed to reduce the 

 inflammation which accompanies the sprain. Should they not do so, a 

 blister may be applied over the part. The detailed treatment of bursal 

 enlargements will be found in Chapter 41. 



