The canine elbow joint is a complex joint, whose musculoskeletal anatomy is well investigated. During the last 30 years kinematic analysis has gained importance in veterinary research and kinematics of the healthy and medial coronoid disease affected canine elbow joint have been investigated. However, the in vivo function of the elbow joint, especially the individual movement of the humerus, radius and ulna relative to each other and the load distribution within the joint are still not fully understood. Based on recent studies significant differences in the motion pattern between healthy joints and elbows with medial coronoid disease could be detected. The lecture gives a review of current literature on elbow joint kinematics, with particular focus onto pathologic biomechanics in dysplastic canine elbows.
