Is There an Association Between Foot Conformation and Foot-related Lameness?

There is anecdotal information that poor foot conformation or balance are related to an increased risk of foot-related lameness. The ‘ideal foot’ should have a parallel hoof wall and heel, parallel horn tubules and growth rings and mediolateral symmetry of the coronary band. Foot conformation influences biomechanical function, the contact forces on the navicular bone, turning movements around the distal interphalangeal joint and leverage on the toe at breakover. There is lack of evidence based information concerning foot conformation and lameness, but in a study of sports horses, horses with asymmetrical front feet left the competition population earlier than those with symmetrical feet (Ducro et al. 2009a,b). Digital photography provides an accurate method of measurement of hoof conformation (Whiteet al. 2008). The purposes of the study (Dyson et al. 2011a,b) were to document photographically the foot, shape and external characteristics of lame and nonlame horses. It also aimed to determine the relationships between the angles and shape of the hoof capsule and the distal phalanx to see whether angles of the distal phalanx could be predicted by assessment of the foot. The study also aimed to determine whether there was a relationship between the cause(s) of foot pain and foot morphology and/or angles of the distal phalanx. [...]