January: Levi’s Comeback: A Hock Injury Healed Through Rehab

January Case of the Month: Levi’s Comeback: A Hock Injury Healed Through Rehab

Levi is an 11-year-old Rocky Mountain Pony, ex-ranch horse.  He suffered a fall causing acute severe lameness in the early spring of 2023.  No veterinary attendance was sought and he was boxed rested.  When rest didn’t resolve the lameness he was going to be euthanized.  A wrangler of his took him home hoping to rehabilitate the injury.  On both palpation and ultrasound, a lateral luxation of the superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) was appreciated, as well as pain on palpation of the area.  This tendon normally runs over the point of the hock and is attached by both a lateral and medial calcaneal ligaments.  When the medial ligament is ruptured, as it was in Levi’s case, the tendon falls off the point of the hock laterally.  Horses with this injury are initially very lame, but with time and rehab the SDFT scars down on the lateral aspect of the hock –  the prognosis for return to previous work is good.  Levi underwent a 6 month rehabilitation program, with a repeat ultrasound exams and lameness check ups.  He became sound at all gaits, the swelling and pain in the limb completely resolved and on ultrasound, although a lot of scar tissue developed around the SDFT’s new position, the other tendons and ligaments on the planter hock were within normal limits.  The gelding returned to the light trail riding.  SDFT luxations are a rare injury, but a good example of one that can be very successfully rehabilitated even though the horse is initially very lame and the ligament torn doesn’t actually heal.