ABSTRACT
Soft-tissue structures, including tendons and ligaments but also their synovial sheaths and other connective tissue elements, are major components of the musculoskeletal system. While bones are the main supporting structures, muscles, ligaments and tendons are under significant stress in athletic animals. Soft-tissue injuries are consequently extremely common. The advent of ultrasonography and, more recently, of MRI has enabled us to recognize an increasing variety of conditions, while there probably remains many more still to discover. Many soft-tissue injuries heal slowly and poorly, often with significant loss of function. This is a source of major losses in the equine industry. New approaches to therapy are emerging, bringing hope of a better and faster recovery, although they are very much in their infancy.
