Article: 28 A comparison among equine boots and legwraps on leg surface temperature during and after exercise
Journal of equine veterinary science. 2021 May, v. 100
2021
Abstract: Boots and legwraps are commonly used to protect the lower limbs of the horse from trauma during exercise. However, previous research suggests such use can result in increased limb temperature that may be detrimental to underlying tendons. This study was ... ...
| Abstract | Boots and legwraps are commonly used to protect the lower limbs of the horse from trauma during exercise. However, previous research suggests such use can result in increased limb temperature that may be detrimental to underlying tendons. This study was designed to explore limb surface temperature during and after exercise when common leg protection was applied, hypothesizing that boots and wraps would increase temperature over the bare limb during exercise, yet show differences in the time required to return to baseline temperature. Six clinically-sound, mature horses (age 15 ± 2 yr; mean ± SEM) were used to test 6 boots or wraps: a neoprene boot, a perforated neoprene boot, an alternative neoprene boot, a cross country boot, a combination fleece and elastic wrap, and a polo wrap. The booted forelimb was selected randomly and the other forelimb served as a bare limb control in each test of a 6 × 6 Latin square design. An iButton hygrochron data logger was placed immediately palmar to the midpoint of the lateral splint bone on both the booted and bare limbs. The data logger recorded temperature and humidity every min during a 20-min standard exercise test and 180-min standing recovery during moderate ambient conditions (22.8 ± 0.9°C; humidity: 53.3 ± 4.8%). Data were analyzed using a mixed model design with repeated measures; significance was set at P < 0.05. The bare limb temperature was lowest (27.7 ± 1°C) at min 9 of the SET, then peaked and plateaued (33 ± 1°C; P < 0.05) during recovery. Conversely, treated limbs increased during exercise from 32 ± 1°C (min 0) to 36 ± 1°C at min 15, then plateaued during recovery. All treatment temperatures were greater than the bare limb (P < 0.0001) across all times. The polo wrap was hotter than the alternative neoprene sports medicine boot (P = 0.02), but neither was different from any other treatments. The humidity of the polo wrap was higher (P < 0.05) than all other treatments at 94%. All treatments failed to return to baseline temperature and humidity after 180 min (P = 0.01). The results support the hypothesis that convection cooling is impaired by boots and wraps during exercise. Given that skin temperature of the lower leg has been correlated as to underlying tendon surface temperature, this suggests that even in a moderate intensity exercise bout in moderate ambient conditions, a booted or wrapped limb may reach damaging temperatures. Contrary to our hypothesis, no boot or wrap nor the bare limb returned to baseline temperature in as much as 180 min of recovery, necessitating further research into the time required for passive cooling of the equine limb after exercise and verification of strategies to reduce cooling time. |
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| Keywords | convection ; cooling ; exercise ; exercise test ; fleece ; horses ; humidity ; microprocessors ; skin temperature ; statistical models ; surface temperature ; veterinary medicine |
| Language | English |
| Dates of publication | 2021-05 |
| Publishing place | Elsevier Inc. |
| Document type | Article |
| Note | NAL-AP-2-clean |
| ZDB-ID | 2102631-2 |
| ISSN | 1542-7412 ; 0737-0806 |
| ISSN (online) | 1542-7412 |
| ISSN | 0737-0806 |
| DOI | 10.1016/j.jevs.2021.103491 |
| Database | NAL-Catalogue (AGRICOLA) |
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