Anatomy Matters: The Stifle

The stifle joint is the largest joint in the horses and is anatomically equivalent to a human knee. It is located at in the hind limb.

It comprises of the femur, tibia, fibula, and patella (knee cap). Just like the human knee, it also has several menisci and ligaments that make up it’s structure.

The stifle comprises of two joints: the femerotibial joint, and the femeropatellar joint. These joints give the stifle it’s flexion and extension motion. The stifle joint plays a very important role in shock-absorbing in the hind limbs.  

Compared to the human knee, the stifle shows a few key differences:

-          When people stand upright, their knees are upright, whereas the horses’ stifle joint is angled

-          Anterior and posterior cruciate ligament ruptures are common in humans (and as many of you may be aware, dogs!), but are rare in horses.

-          Humans only have one patellar ligament, whereas horses have three.

Lameness issues can commonly arise from issues in the stifle joint, such as acute injuries, osteoarthritis, or osteochondrosis.

Maintaining good joint health in horses is important in preventing stifle injuries, as is keeping the stifle joints strong and mobile.  

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