THE EFFECT OF THE HIGH PALMAR NERVE BLOCK AND THE ULNAR NERVE BLOCK ON LAMENESS PROVOKED BY A COLLAGENASE-INDUCED TENDINITIS OF THE LATERALBRANCH OF THE SUSPENSORY LIGAMENT

Controversy exists with respect to the innervation of the suspensory l igament (SL) in the fore limb of the horse, It is uncertain whether th is structure is exclusively innervated by branches of the ulnar nerve or also to some extent by median nerve branches. Ground Reaction Force s (GRF) were determined in horses before and after the induction of a tendonitis in the lateral branch of the SL by the injection of collage nase, and before and after a high palmar and an ulnar block respective ly, The high palmar block succeeded in bringing all GRF variables back to their original values which the ulnar block did not, It is conclud ed that the SL is innervated by branches of both the ulnar and the med ian nerves,,vith the median nerve being relatively more important for the distal part of the SL.