Compensatory movements of horses with a stance phase lameness

Abstract

Summary In order to study the mechanism of lameness transfer from fore‐ and hindlimb lamenesses 2 hypotheses were investigated. Hypothesis 1: Horses with a true supporting limb lameness in one hindlimb show a false supporting limb lameness in the ipsilateral forelimb. Hypothesis 2: Horses with a true supporting limb lameness in one forelimb show a false supporting limb lameness in the contralateral hindlimb. Fourteen horses with fore‐ or hindlimb lameness were used for this study. Each horse was measured at the trot on a treadmill with standardised speed, before and after diagnostic blocks (9 horses), or with and without induced lameness (5 horses). The head acceleration asymmetry (HAAS) and the sacrum acceleration asymmetry (SAAS) were used for quantification of fore‐ and hindlimb lameness respectively. Changes were documented by changes of the HAAS or the SAAS. In all 4 horses with a true hindlimb lameness a synchronous false lameness of the ipsilateral forelimb was documented. In 6 of 10 horses with a forelimb lameness a lameness transfer could be assessed according to hypothesis 2. The results of this study show, that horses with a true severe lameness in the forelimb show a false lameness in the contralateral hindlimb, and horses with a true hindlimb lameness show a false lameness in the ipsilateral forelimb. This indicates that the location of the truly lame limb can be deduced from the distribution of 2 lamenesses on a sagittal or diagonal axis.

Accuracy and precision of hind limb foot contact timings of horses determined using a pelvis-mounted inertial measurement unit

“…The proposed method can therefore be used for the analysis of pathological gait, where features are commonly independent of the exact foot contact (e.g. Buchner et al, 1996;Peham et al, 1996;Uhlir et al, 1997;Audigie et al, 2002;Keegan et al, 2003Keegan et al, , 2004Kramer et al, 2004). Since none of the features expressed as % stride was dependent on Froude Number or stride duration, no systematic changes of the foot contact estimate relative to the gait cycle should be expected with increasing trotting speed.…”

Understanding hind limb lameness signs in horses using simple rigid body mechanics

“…The mean (SD) number of retained strides per horse was 47 (22), ranging from nine to 117 strides depending on the individual data collection session. Data of LH lame horses were converted to the RH lameness equivalent (see supplementary material S2 for details); the side of lameness was established based on the sign of the Symmetry Index SI up (see below and (Uhlir et al, 1997;Starke et al, 2012c)). The experimental portion of the study was approved by the local ethics committee and complied with the RVC's guidelines.…”

Adaptation Strategies of Horses with Lameness

“…In moderate and more accentuated hind limb lamenesses, a distinct head nod can be observed during the diagonal stance, which includes the lame hind limb, suggesting a lameness in the ipsilateral forelimb [20,25,26]. This compensatory head movement is reported to be more distinguishable than the compensatory movements made by the hindquarters as a consequence of forelimb lameness [16,27,28]. The transmission of a forelimb lameness may occur ipsilaterally or along the diagonal [16,26,27].…”

“…This compensatory head movement is reported to be more distinguishable than the compensatory movements made by the hindquarters as a consequence of forelimb lameness [16,27,28]. The transmission of a forelimb lameness may occur ipsilaterally or along the diagonal [16,26,27]. Back pain may also alter the movement of the limbs.…”