Arena surface vertical impact forces vary with surface compaction

C M Rohlf; T C Garcia; D P Fyhrie; S S le Jeune; M L Peterson; S M Stover

doi:10.1016/j.tvjl.2023.105955

Arena surface vertical impact forces vary with surface compaction

Vet J. 2023 Mar:293:105955. doi: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2023.105955. Epub 2023 Feb 11.

Authors

C M Rohlf¹, T C Garcia², D P Fyhrie³, S S le Jeune⁴, M L Peterson⁵, S M Stover²

Affiliations

¹ JD Wheat Veterinary Orthopedic Research Laboratory, University of California-Davis, 1285 Veterinary Medicine Dr. Bldg. VM3A Rm, 4206, Davis, CA 95616, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California-Davis, 451 E. Health Sciences Dr, Davis, CA 95616, USA. Electronic address: cmrohlf@ucdavis.edu.
² JD Wheat Veterinary Orthopedic Research Laboratory, University of California-Davis, 1285 Veterinary Medicine Dr. Bldg. VM3A Rm, 4206, Davis, CA 95616, USA; Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, 1275 Medical Science Dr, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
³ Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California-Davis, 451 E. Health Sciences Dr, Davis, CA 95616, USA; Department of Orthopedic Surgery, School of Medicine, University of California-Davis, 4860 Y Street, Suite 3800, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA.
⁴ Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, 1275 Medical Science Dr, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
⁵ Racing Surfaces Testing Laboratory, University of Kentucky, 907 National Ave, Lexington, KY, USA.

PMID: 36781018
DOI: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2023.105955

Abstract

Mechanical properties of arena surfaces are extrinsic factors for musculoskeletal injury. Vertical impact forces of harrowed and compacted cushion were measured at five locations on 12 arena surfaces (five dirt, seven synthetic [dirt and fiber]). Eight variables related to impact force, displacement, and acceleration were calculated. Surface temperature, cushion depth and moisture content were also measured. The effects of surface material type (dirt/synthetic) and cushion compaction (harrowed/compacted) on vertical impact properties were assessed using an analysis of variance. Relationships of manageable surface properties with vertical impact forces were examined through correlations. Compacted cushion exhibited markedly higher vertical impact force and deceleration with lower vertical displacement than harrowed cushion (P < 0.001), and the effect was greater on dirt than synthetic surfaces (P = 0.039). Vertical displacement (P = 0.021) and soil rebound (P = 0.005) were the only variables affected by surface type. Surface compaction (harrowed, compacted) had a significantly greater effect on vertical impact forces than surface type (dirt, synthetic). By reducing surface compaction through harrowing, extrinsic factors related to musculoskeletal injury risk are reduced. These benefits were more pronounced on dirt than synthetic surfaces. These results indicate that arena owners should regularly harrow surfaces, particularly dirt surfaces.

Keywords: Arena surface; Compaction; Equine; Vertical impact.

MeSH terms

Animals
Running*
Surface Properties