Force plate gait analysis at the walk and trot in dogs with low-grade hindlimb lameness

Summary

Objective: To evaluate the accuracy of force plate gait analysis at the walk and trot in dogs with low-grade hindlimb lameness. Material and methods: Nineteen healthy dogs and 41 dogs with low-grade unilateral hindlimb lameness due to stifle or hip joint problems were walked and trotted over a force plate. Peak vertical forces (PVF) were recorded, and a symmetry index (SI) was calculated from the PVF of the hindlimbs. ‘Cut-off’ values were determined from the SI of the normal dogs. These cut-off values were used to discriminate lame dogs from normal ones. Sensitivity and specificity were evaluated for measurements at walk and trot, and the Cohen’s Kappa coefficient (k) was used to determine the agreement between clinical lameness and force plate measurements, and between force plate results at walk and trot. Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) curve were plotted for both gaits to evaluate accuracy. Results: The sensitivity of the measurements at walk was 0.63, and specifity was 0.95. The sensitivity of the measurements at trot was 0.90, and specificity was 1.0. Moderate agreement was found between force plate measurements at walk and trot, and between clinical gait assessment and force plate measurements at walk. Good agreement was found between clinical gait assessment and measurements at trot. ROC analyses revealed the trot (94.7% [91.7%; 97.7%]) to be the more accurate test than the walk (85.0% [80.1%; 89.9%]). Conclusion: The trotting gait was more sensitive and accurate than the walking gait for the differentiation of dogs with a low-grade hindlimb lameness from normal ones using force plate gait analysis.

Keywords

Force plate - walk and trot - low-grade lameness

• References

• 1 Budsberg SC, Verstraete MC, Soutas-Little RW. et al. Force plate analyses before and after stabilization of canine stifles for cruciate surgery. Am JVet Res 1988; 9: 522-393.
• 2 Dupuis J, Harari J, Papageorges M. et al. Evaluation of fibular head transposition for repair of experimental cranial cruciate ligament injury in dogs. Vet Surg 1994; 23: 1-12.
• 3 Jevens DJ, DeCamp CE, Hauptman J. et al. Use of force-plate analysis of gait to compare two surgical techniques for treatment of cranial cruciate ligament rupture in dogs. Am JVet Res 1996; 57: 389-393.
• 4 Ballagas AJ, Montgomery RD, Henderson RA. et al. Pre- and postoperative force plate analysis of dogs with experimentally transsected cranial cruciate ligaments treated using tibial plateau leveling osteotomy. Vet Surg 2004; 33: 187-190.
• 5 Conzemius MG, Evans RB, Besancon MF. et al. Effect of surgical technique on limb function after surgery for rupture of the cranial cruciate ligament in dogs. JAVMA 2005; 226: 232-236.
• 6 Massat Massat, Vasseur PB. Clinical and radiographic results of total hip arthroplasty in dogs: 96 cases (1986-1992). J Am Vet Med Assoc 1994; 205: 448-454.
• 7 Anderson GI, Hearn T, Taves S. Force plate gait analysis innormal and dysplastic dogs before and after total hip replacement surgery: An experimental study. Vet Surg. 1988: 17.
• 8 Tano CA, Cockshutt JR, Dobson H. et al. Force plate analysis of dogs with bilateral hip dysplasia treated with a unilateral triple pelvic osteotomy: A long-term review of cases. Vet Comp Orthop Traumatol 1998; 11: 85-93.
• 9 Dueland RT, Adams WM, Fialkowski JP. et al. Effects of pubic symphysiodesis in dysplastic puppies. Vet Surg 2001; 30: 201-217.
• 10 Evans R, Gordon WJ, Conzemius MG. The effect of gait velocity on force platform trial variation in dogs with naturally occurring observable lameness. Abstract ACVS Meeting, (San Diego) 2002
• 11 Evans R, Horstman C, Conzemius M. Accuracy and optimization of force platform gait analysis in Labradors with cranial cruciate disease evaluated at a walking gait. Vet Surg 2005; 34: 445-449.
• 12 Sumner-Smith G. Gait analysis and orthopedic examination. In: Textbook of Small Animal Surgery. vol 2. Slatter D. (ed). Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders; 1993: 1577.
• 13 Herzog W, Nigg BM, Read LJ. et al. Asymmetries in ground reaction force patterns in normal human gait. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1989 21. 110.
• 14 Budsberg SC, Verstraete MC, Soutas-Little RW. Force plate gait analysis of the walking gait in healthy dogs. Am JVet Res 1987; 48: 915-918.
• 15 Rumph PF, Lander JE, Kincaid SA. et al. Ground reaction force profiles from force platform gait analyses of clinically normal mesomorphic dogs at the trot. Am JVet Res 1994; 55: 756-761.
• 16 Riggs CM, DeCamp CE, Soutas-Little RW. et al. Effects of subject velocity on force plate- measured ground reaction forces in healthy Greyhounds at a trot. Am J Vet Res 1993; 1523-1526.
• 17 McLaughlin McLaughlin, Roush JK. Effects of subject stance time and velocity on ground reaction forces in clinicallynormal Greyhounds at atrot. Am JVet Res 1994; 55: 1666-1671.
• 18 Budsberg SC, Verstraete MC, Brown J. et al. Vertical loading rates in clinically normal dogs at a trot. Am JVet Res 1995; 56: 1275-1280.
• 19 Budsberg SC, Rytz U, Johnston SA. Effects of acceleration on ground reaction forces collected in healthy dogs at a trot. Vet Comp Orthop Traumatol 1999; 12: 15-19.
• 20 Rumph PF, Steiss JE, Montgomery RD. Effects of selection and habituation on vertical ground reaction force in Greyhounds. Am J Vet Res 1997; 58: 1206-1208.
• 21 Rumph PF, Steiss JE, West MS. Interday variation in vertical ground reaction force in clinically normal Greyhounds at the trot. Am J Vet Res 1999; 60: 679-683.
• 22 Rumph PF, Kincaid SA, Visco DM. et al. Redistribution of vertical ground reaction force in dogs with experimentally induced chronic hindlimb lameness. Vet Surg 1995; 24: 384-389.
• 23 O'Connor BL, Visco DM, Heck DA. et al. Gait alterations in dogs aftertransection ofthe anterior cruciate ligament. Arthritis Rheum 1989; 32: 1142-1147.