Topic the Wooden Shoe

Mechanical Advantages of a Wooden Shoe
The use of a full rolling motion metal shoe (a very similar design to the wooden shoe) with oakem sole packing was advocated in the late 1800’s (3) as a treatment for chronic laminitis. The similar design of the wooden shoe better lends itself to the same parameters the author described earlier; however, with the aid of radiographs, many of the parameters can now be well defined and shoeing prescriptions adjusted according to the needs each case dictates.
The present knowledge of chronic laminitis recognizes the significance of the mechanical collapse of the lamellae and the variability with which the distal phalanx may be displaced. The successful treatment of this condition is dependant on the amount of damage to the lamellae and possibly our ability to mechanically minimize the stress on the damaged lamellae with therapeutic shoeing. Therapeutic shoeing should include stabilizing and protecting the internal hoof architecture of the hoof in a way to allow realignment and promote reattachment of the third phalanx as the hoof mass is encouraged to increase.
The importance of shoe mechanics in the treatment of chronic laminitis is becoming better understood and the veterinary and farrier professions are becoming better educated in providing advantageous mechanical aids to offset the deleterious effects of the mechanical collapse of the bony-lamellar attachment. The unique ability of the wooden shoe to be readily modified is very desirable in adding or subtracting mechanics to the shoe design as dictated by the individual case. The ability to easily add height to the shoe allows one to employ mechanics that very few shoe designs can easily duplicate. In general, the more rotation of the distal phalanx, the more palmar digital breakover needs to be placed to reduce the forces on the DDFT during locomotion. The less force the DDFT exerts on the distal phalanx as a result of the mechanics of therapeutic shoeing, the less mechanical shear forces will be exerted on the damaged lamellae. This will result in less pain to the damaged hoof, especially during locomotion. The limited height of most shoeing systems allows only a small amount of breakover modification without the solar surface being further invaded.
Dorsopalmar shoe mechanics are not unique to various shoeing systems; however, the unique design of the wooden shoe also employs mediolateral shoe mechanics that further reduce shear forces on the damaged lamellae. Most cases of dorsal capsular rotation show an increased pain response when the horse is turning. This seems to be the last portion of gait that pain subsides in the healing process. The wooden shoe addresses the problem of mediolateral shear forces on the lamellae and further aids the pained patient in attaining a more normal ability to locomote.
The solid, flat base of the wooden shoe allows for the maximum recruitment of surface area for weight-bearing. The ability to engage (load) the palmar foot (with the aid of a viscoelastic deformable impression material (a) and to unload pained areas (usually the toe region- by recessing the shoe’s toe solar surface) is simplified using the wooden shoe. This allows further reduction of shear forces on the damaged dorsal lamellae by allowing weight-sharing by the soft palmar structures of the foot and reducing weight-bearing on the hoof wall-especially the toe (4).
One of the major advantages of the wooden shoe is the atraumatic application and the ability to immediately access the patient’s response to the shoe placement and its mechanical design features. The wood screws can be readily applied from the hoof wall into the shoe as the horse is standing on the sole impression material and the shoe. The screws are easily inserted and the shoe can easily be repositioned (after initial application) for maximum pain reduction, without any trauma to the patient.
Mechanical Advantages of a Wooden Shoe
The use of a full rolling motion metal shoe (a very similar design to the wooden shoe) with oakem sole packing was advocated in the late 1800’s (3) as a treatment for chronic laminitis. The similar design of the wooden shoe better lends itself to the same parameters the author described earlier; however, with the aid of radiographs, many of the parameters can now be well defined and shoeing prescriptions adjusted according to the needs each case dictates.
The present knowledge of chronic laminitis recognizes the significance of the mechanical collapse of the lamellae and the variability with which the distal phalanx may be displaced. The successful treatment of this condition is dependant on the amount of damage to the lamellae and possibly our ability to mechanically minimize the stress on the damaged lamellae with therapeutic shoeing. Therapeutic shoeing should include stabilizing and protecting the internal hoof architecture of the hoof in a way to allow realignment and promote reattachment of the third phalanx as the hoof mass is encouraged to increase.
The importance of shoe mechanics in the treatment of chronic laminitis is becoming better understood and the veterinary and farrier professions are becoming better educated in providing advantageous mechanical aids to offset the deleterious effects of the mechanical collapse of the bony-lamellar attachment. The unique ability of the wooden shoe to be readily modified is very desirable in adding or subtracting mechanics to the shoe design as dictated by the individual case. The ability to easily add height to the shoe allows one to employ mechanics that very few shoe designs can easily duplicate. In general, the more rotation of the distal phalanx, the more palmar digital breakover needs to be placed to reduce the forces on the DDFT during locomotion. The less force the DDFT exerts on the distal phalanx as a result of the mechanics of therapeutic shoeing, the less mechanical shear forces will be exerted on the damaged lamellae. This will result in less pain to the damaged hoof, especially during locomotion. The limited height of most shoeing systems allows only a small amount of breakover modification without the solar surface being further invaded.
Dorsopalmar shoe mechanics are not unique to various shoeing systems; however, the unique design of the wooden shoe also employs mediolateral shoe mechanics that further reduce shear forces on the damaged lamellae. Most cases of dorsal capsular rotation show an increased pain response when the horse is turning. This seems to be the last portion of gait that pain subsides in the healing process. The wooden shoe addresses the problem of mediolateral shear forces on the lamellae and further aids the pained patient in attaining a more normal ability to locomote.
The solid, flat base of the wooden shoe allows for the maximum recruitment of surface area for weight-bearing. The ability to engage (load) the palmar foot (with the aid of a viscoelastic deformable impression material (a) and to unload pained areas (usually the toe region- by recessing the shoe’s toe solar surface) is simplified using the wooden shoe. This allows further reduction of shear forces on the damaged dorsal lamellae by allowing weight-sharing by the soft palmar structures of the foot and reducing weight-bearing on the hoof wall-especially the toe (4).
One of the major advantages of the wooden shoe is the atraumatic application and the ability to immediately access the patient’s response to the shoe placement and its mechanical design features. The wood screws can be readily applied from the hoof wall into the shoe as the horse is standing on the sole impression material and the shoe. The screws are easily inserted and the shoe can easily be repositioned (after initial application) for maximum pain reduction, without any trauma to the patient.
Wooden Shoe
Chronic Laminitis