{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,18]],"date-time":"2026-08-18T14:52:33Z","timestamp":1787064753378,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":15,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2023,7,26]],"date-time":"2023-07-26T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1690329600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Vet. Sci."],"abstract":"<jats:p>Back pain is a common complaint, clinical finding and performance limiting factor in sport horses. This study sought to gather current veterinary trends in the diagnosis, treatment and management of primary equine back pain in the United States. A 22 question survey was distributed electronically to equine practitioners through AAEP and ACVSMR listservs and through closed social media groups. The survey was open from April 20, 2022 to July 5, 2022. Responses were analyzed using Microsoft excel pivot tables. Ninety-seven survey responses were obtained and analyzed. Respondents reported the clinical signs most frequently relayed to them by the owner\/rider\/trainer of horses diagnosed with primary back pain were behavioral issues and poor performance. Most common diagnostic tests reported were radiography of the spinous processes, thoraco-lumbar vertebral bodies, and transcutaneous ultrasound of the thoraco-lumbar region. Most common pathologies reported were impinging dorsal spinous processes, degenerative sacro-iliac joint disease, and osteoarthritis in lumbar or thoracic articular process joints. In regards to impinging spinous process (\u201ckissing spine\u201d) treatments, 72.2% of respondents recommended surgery only after non-surgical treatments failed, and 14.6% of respondents never recommended surgery. The majority (82%) of respondents reported some level of improvement in clinical signs of primary back pain with rehabilitation alone. To date, there has been no consensus or discussion about common abnormalities, diagnostic tests, treatments or management options for primary equine back pain in the United States. Results of this survey are a starting point showing current trends in diagnosis, treatment and management of primary equine back pain among equine practitioners in the United States showing 82% of practitioners using rehabilitation as a component of treatment.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3389\/fvets.2023.1224605","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,7,26]],"date-time":"2023-07-26T08:48:03Z","timestamp":1690361283000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":12,"title":["Survey of equine veterinarians regarding primary equine back pain in the United States"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"10","author":[{"given":"Marianne E.","family":"Marshall-Gibson","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Matthew G.","family":"Durham","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Kathryn A.","family":"Seabaugh","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Valerie J.","family":"Moorman","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Dora J.","family":"Ferris","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,7,26]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"892","DOI":"10.1016\/B978-1-4160-6069-7.00093-6","article-title":"Chiropractic evaluation and management of musculoskeletal disorders","volume-title":"Diagnosis and Management of Lameness in the Horse","author":"Haussler","year":"2011"},{"key":"ref2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"195","DOI":"10.3389\/fvets.2018.00195","article-title":"Two multicenter surveys on equine Back-pain 10 years a part","volume":"5","author":"Riccio","year":"2018","journal-title":"Front. Vet. Sci."},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"145","DOI":"10.3920\/CEP12023","article-title":"Equine back pain reviewed from a motor control perspective","volume":"8","author":"Clayton","year":"2012","journal-title":"Comparative Exercise Phys"},{"key":"ref4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"61","DOI":"10.1016\/S0749-0739(17)30163-3","article-title":"Physical examination of horses with back pain","volume":"15","author":"Martin","year":"1999","journal-title":"Vet Clin N Am"},{"key":"ref5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"209","DOI":"10.1186\/1746-6148-9-209","article-title":"Comparison of clinical examinations of back disorders and humans\u2019 evaluation of back pain in riding school horses","volume":"9","author":"Lesimple","year":"2013","journal-title":"BMC Vet Res"},{"key":"ref6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"120","DOI":"10.3389\/fvets.2018.00120","article-title":"International survey regarding the use of rehabilitation modalities in horses","volume":"5","author":"Wilson","year":"2018","journal-title":"Front Vet Sci"},{"key":"ref7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"CPG1","DOI":"10.2519\/jospt.2021.0304","article-title":"Interventions for the management of acute and chronic low back pain: revision 2021","volume":"51","author":"George","year":"2021","journal-title":"J Orthop Sports Phys Ther"},{"key":"ref8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1278","DOI":"10.1111\/vsu.13298","article-title":"Long-term prognosis for return to athletic function after Interspinous ligament desmotomy for treatment of impinging and overriding dorsal Spinous processes in horses: 71 cases (2012-2017)","volume":"48","author":"Prisk","year":"2019","journal-title":"Vet Surg"},{"key":"ref9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"115","DOI":"10.1111\/j.2042-3306.1975.tb03245.x","article-title":"The treatment of horses with chronic back pain by resecting the summits of the impinging dorsal spinous processes","volume":"7","author":"Jeffcott","year":"1975","journal-title":"Equine Vet J"},{"key":"ref10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"23","DOI":"10.2746\/042516402776181259","article-title":"Impingement of the dorsal spinous processes in two hundred and fifteen horses: case selection, surgical technique and results","volume":"34","author":"Walmsley","year":"2002","journal-title":"Equine Vet J"},{"key":"ref11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"625","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1532-950X.2005.00097.x","article-title":"Subtotal ostectomy of dorsal spinous processes performed in nine standing horses","volume":"34","author":"Perkins","year":"2005","journal-title":"Vet Surg"},{"key":"ref12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"890","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1532-950X.2012.01013.x","article-title":"A controlled study evaluating a novel surgical treatment for kissing spines in standing sedated horses","volume":"41","author":"Coomer","year":"2012","journal-title":"Vet Surg"},{"key":"ref13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"339","DOI":"10.1111\/evj.12215","article-title":"A new technique for subtotal (cranial wedge) ostectomy in the treatment of impinging\/overriding spinous processes: description of technique and outcome of 25 cases","volume":"46","author":"Jacklin","year":"2014","journal-title":"Equine Vet J"},{"key":"ref14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"149","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1532-950X.2007.00247.x","article-title":"Endoscopic resection of dorsal spinous processes and interspinous ligament in ten horses","volume":"36","author":"Debrosse","year":"2007","journal-title":"Vet Surg"},{"key":"ref15","year":"2018"}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Veterinary Science"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fvets.2023.1224605\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2023,7,26]],"date-time":"2023-07-26T08:48:07Z","timestamp":1690361287000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fvets.2023.1224605\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2023,7,26]]},"references-count":15,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fvets.2023.1224605"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fvets.2023.1224605","relation":{},"ISSN":["2297-1769"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2297-1769","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2023,7,26]]},"article-number":"1224605"}}