A comparison of ground reaction forces during level and cross-slope walking in Labrador Retrievers

BMC Veterinary Research

Barbara A Bockstahler²  Christian Peham¹  Therese Strasser² 

[1] Department for Companion Animals and Horses, Equine University Clinic, Equine Surgery, Movement Science Group Vienna, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria;Department for Companion Animals and Horses, University Clinic for Small Animals, Small Animal Surgery, Section for Physical Therapy, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria

关键词: Pressure plate;    Ground reaction forces;    Gait analysis;    Dog;    Cross-slope;   

Others  :  1115093
DOI  :  10.1186/s12917-014-0241-4

 received in 2014-06-18, accepted in 2014-09-23,  发布年份 2014

【 摘 要 】

Background

Inclined or slippery surfaces and various other types of obstacles are common demands in our environment. Dogs with impaired locomotion might have difficulties to manage rough terrain. Gait analyses using force plates or pressure plates, which are well established to characterize limb loads in human medicine as well as in animals, are mostly limited to level surfaces. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of cross-slope walking in ten healthy Labrador Retrievers using a pressure plate walkway system. The dogs walked over the pressure plate on a level surface, with a lateral elevation angle of 10° (CS1) or 15° (CS2) until five valid trials were achieved. Three measurements were obtained at weekly intervals. Peak vertical force (PFz), vertical impulse (IFz), step length, and velocity were determined.

Results

Compared to level walking (LW), cross-slope walking was associated with a significant decrease in GRF of the up-slope (US) hindlimb, which was compensated for by the down-slope (DS) forelimb. The other diagonal limb pair showed less pronounced effects during CS1, but in CS2 more weight was shifted onto the DS hindlimb during the first two measurements, thus reducing weight on the US forelimb (for IFz). The effect diminished from trial to trial, with GRF values approaching LW standards finally. The IFz was a more sensitive measure than the PFz. The step length of the DS forelimb was significantly decreased in both cross-slope conditions, while the step length of the US forelimb only decreased during CS2.

Conclusions

The dogs adapted their gait pattern and step length to compensate for the discrepancy in apparent leg length caused by the cross-slope. The results suggest that cross-slope walking requires functional musculoskeletal adaptations that may be difficult for animals with impaired locomotion. Further, this knowledge might be of clinical impact for early diagnosis of neurological disorders, mild lameness and proprioceptive deficits.

【 授权许可】

   
2014 Strasser et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

【 图 表 】

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