Which joint is commonly referred to as the hock joint?

Which joint is commonly referred to as the hock joint?

• A. Fetlock
• B. Stifle
• C. Tarsocrural joint
• D. Carpus

Answer: (C)

The hock is the hind limb’s tarsal region, and the main articulation there is the tarsocrural joint—the joint between the distal tibia/fibula and the talus. It functions as the ankle hinge, allowing the primary flexion and extension movements of the hock. The fetlock sits higher up between the metatarsus and proximal phalanx, the stifle is the knee, and the carpus is the wrist. Because the hock refers to the tarsal region and the tarsocrural joint is the principal ankle-like joint in that area, it’s the best choice for what is commonly called the hock joint.

The hock is the hind limb’s tarsal region, and the main articulation there is the tarsocrural joint—the joint between the distal tibia/fibula and the talus. It functions as the ankle hinge, allowing the primary flexion and extension movements of the hock. The fetlock sits higher up between the metatarsus and proximal phalanx, the stifle is the knee, and the carpus is the wrist. Because the hock refers to the tarsal region and the tarsocrural joint is the principal ankle-like joint in that area, it’s the best choice for what is commonly called the hock joint.