Comparison of an inertial sensor system of lameness quantification with subjective lameness evaluation

Abstract

The inertial sensor system was able to identify lameness at a lower level of sole pressure than the consensus of 3 equine veterinarians. The inertial sensor system may be an effective aid to lameness localisation in clinical cases.

Is a standalone inertial measurement unit accurate and precise enough for quantification of movement symmetry in the horse?

“…Given the identical attachment method and the similar masses, effects are likely to be similar between the two IMUs. An IMU with comparable mass (less than 30g) shows good agreement with gold standard kinetic assessment and with subjective assessment (McCracken et al, 2012) indicating that clinically relevant signal components are maintained in the signal using this type of fixation.…”

At-Destekli Terapi İçin Ponilerde Atalet Belirleme Teknolojisinin Fizibilite Çalışması

“…Another possible reason could be that the ponies had unobservable mild lameness, such as a subclinical joint problem or chronic osteoarthritis, which results in an unequal swing range of the two limbs. McCracken et al [4] reported that objective lameness evaluation using an inertial sensor system would be able to detect lower levels of lameness compared to subjective lameness evaluation.…”

“…The inertial sensor technique has been in use for equine motion analysis, especially in the analysis of the trotting gait with the aims of improving sports performance and fine detection of lameness [4] as well as studying the differences in motion between types of horses [5] . Inertial sensor technology is highly sensitive and accurate with quantitative data, and is suitable for detection of even the slightest asymmetry in movement [6] .…”

“…Inertial sensor technology has been recently developed for human and horse kinematic analysis using WIFI signals which would replace wire connection or cameras. It enables objective evaluation by data collection and analysis as the horse walks on the ground [4] . Therefore, this technique is potentially beneficial for studying pony movement when it is being mounted by various types of riders including riders with typical development (normal rider) and those with physical disabilities (disabled rider).…”

“…Subjective lameness evaluation by a trained equine veterinarian is a routine diagnostic technique for lameness; however, it is not always reliable due to bias and it is less sensitive than motion sensors, especially for detection of mild lameness [4] . Kinematic analysis has eventually been developed to measure gait and motion in human patients with musculoskeletal and neuromuscular problems for the better treatment decision making and result evaluation with qualitative and quantitative assessment.…”