Activity of the equine rectus abdominis and oblique external abdominal muscles measured by surface EMG during walk and trot on the treadmill.

This research article analyzes the muscle activities of the equine rectus abdominis (RA) and oblique external abdominal (OEA) during walks and trots, with the conclusion that their activities are less during walks while the correlation to limb movements is more significant.

Introduction and Objectives

• The study’s primary focus was the evaluation and documentation of equine abdominal muscle activities during walk and trot, with a specific look at the RA and OEA muscles.
• The authors proposed a hypothesis at the onset, suggesting that muscle activity during walking would be less intense than during trotting.
• Part of what prompted this study was the fact that no other research had described the relationship between the activities of RA and OEA muscles in horses during walking and trotting. The intent was to fill this knowledge gap.

Methodology

• The study used six horses of varied ages and weights for the experiment.
• It employed surface Electromyography (EMG) measurements and strategically placed EMG electrodes to monitor RA and OEA muscle activity.
• Reflective markers were placed on all hooves and on different parts of the anatomy including the withers and the sacrum, with the purpose of determining motion cycles.
• The data collected was tested for normal distribution using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, while the Student’s t test was used to compare differences between left-right and walk-trot movements.

Results

• The results confirmed that RA and OEA muscle activities in all the horses were indeed smaller during walking than when trotting.
• Statistically significant differences were observed in the maximum muscle activities of left and right OEA and RA muscles during walks in all horses, and in 4 of the 6 horses while trotting.
• The data showed a lower OEA/RA ratio during walking than trotting, validating the initial hypothesis.
• Most noteworthy is the stronger correlation between RA and OEA muscle activities and limb movements during walking than trotting..

Conclusions

• The research concluded that the activities of both the RA and OEA are indeed smaller during walking than trotting.
• It also highlighted a lower OEA/RA ratio during walks than during trots.
• The research further establishes that there are more significant correlations between muscle activities of both RA and OEA with limb movements during walking than trotting.