Evaluation of vertical forces in the pads of Pitbulls with cranial cruciate ligament rupture

Abstract

BackgroundCranial cruciate ligament rupture (CCLR) is one of the most important stifle injuries and a common cause of lameness in dogs. Our objective was to measure the vertical forces in the pads of Pitbulls with cranial cruciate ligament rupture (CCLR) using a pressure sensitive walkway. A pressure sensitive walkway was used to collect vertical force data from the pads of 10 Pitbulls affected with unilateral CCLR. Ten healthy Pitbulls were included in the study as controls. Velocity varied between 1.3 and 1.6 m/s and acceleration was kept below ± 0.1 m/s2. Differences between groups and between pads in the same limb within groups were investigated using ANOVA and the Tukey test. The paired Student t-test was employed to assess gait symmetry (p < 0.05).ResultsPeak vertical forces (PVF) were lower in the affected limb, particularly in the metatarsal pad. Increased PVF values in the forelimb and the contralateral hind limb pads of affected dogs suggest a compensatory effect.ConclusionsA consistent pattern of vertical force distribution was observed in the pads of dogs with CCLR. These data are important for increased understanding of vertical force distribution in the limb of dogs with CCLR disease. Kinetic analysis using pressure sensitive walkways can be useful in follow-up assessment of surgically treated dogs regardless of the surgical technique employed.

Static Posturography: A New Perspective in the Assessment of Lameness in a Canine Model

“…Previous studies describe distribution of force in the pads during the support phase in healthy dogs [6,7] or in dogs with pathologies such as cranial cruciate ligament rupture [8] or hip fractures [9]; the dogs walk or trot across a simple or multiple pressure walkway that provides standard parameters as PVF and VI, usually measured by force platforms. The advantage of this method is that consecutive steps can be recorded; however, research has still not been published on static analysis in lame dogs with postural changes, such as spatial modifications in body center of pressure (COP) and the derived consequences of changes in paw area, and mean or maximum pressure values, among other parameters.…”

Comparative Analysis of Vertical Forces in Dogs Affected with Cranial Cruciate Ligament Disease and Tibial Plateau Angles Greater or Less than 25 Degrees

“…23 Decreased PVF during braking has been associated with reduced weight bearing in foot pads, particularly the metatarsal pads. 8 This deficient weight bearing is transmitted to upper joints, leading to stifle displacement due to lack of passive restriction to tibial translation. Velocity, 24 acceleration, 25 body weight and bone conformation 26 can all affect the ground reaction forces obtained during kinetic gait analysis.…”

“…6 Quantitative methods such as vertical force quantification via pressure platform gait analysis are paramount to accurately measure differences in weight bearing. [7][8][9] The objective of this study was to compare the peak vertical force (PVF) and vertical impulse (VI) between dogs with cranial cruciate ligament disease and a TPA greater or less than 25 degrees. We hypothesized that the cranial cruciate ligament disease limb of dogs with TPA greater than 25 degrees would have a significantly lower PVF and VI than the cranial cruciate ligament disease limb of dogs with lower TPA.…”

Avaliação morfológica e morfométrica da articulação umerorradioulnar em cães através de exames radiográficos e por tomografia computadorizada

“…A avaliação cinética da locomoção é o padrão ouro para avaliação da claudicação sendo possível até mesmo individualizar a distribuição da pressão exercida sobre cada coxim do animal (Souza et al 2014). O PFV é um parâmetro mensurado na avaliação cinética de maior precisão para a detecção de claudicação (Fanchon & Grandjean 2007) e o índice de simetria do PFV é uma ferramenta útil, capaz de detectar claudicações discretas unilaterais ou irregularidades de apoio em afecções bilaterais ao exame radiográ-fico, mas assimétricas do ponto de vista clínico (Voss et al 2007).…”