Effect of trotting speed on kinematic variables measured by use of extremity-mounted inertial measurement units in nonlame horses performing controlled treadmill exercise.

This study investigates the impact of different trotting speeds on the kinematic variables of horses when undergoing controlled treadmill exercise. The research showed significant differences in most temporal and spatial variables between two trotting speeds and emphasized that speed should be controlled or kept constant during gait evaluation for more accurate results.

Objective and Subjects

• The main objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of speed on kinematic measurements made using extremity-mounted Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) in non-lame horses during controlled exercise on a treadmill.
• The subject of the study were 10 non-lame horses from the Franches Montagnes breed.

Procedure

• A total of 6 IMUs were attached at certain locations on the horses.
• Data was collected in three repeats while the horses were trotting at speeds of 3.33 meters per second and 3.88 meters per second on a high-speed treadmill.
• 33 kinematic variables were analysed, with repeated-measures ANOVA used to examine the impact of speed.

Results

• There were significant variations detected for most temporal (11 out of 14) and spatial (12 out of 19) variables between the two trotting speeds examined.
• Increased stride length, protraction and retraction, flexion and extension, mediolateral movement of the tibia, symmetry, and reduced stride duration characterized the faster trotting speed.
• However, due to a substantial amount of variability, whether these changes in the tibia coronal range of motion were clinically meaningful raised questions.
• In certain variables, the lower trotting speed seemed to have more variability than the higher trotting speed.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance

• When trotting at a higher speed, horses moved in the same manner in terms of temporal perspective, with the investigated temporal events happening at the same relative time within the stride.
• From a spatial perspective, horses exhibited greater action of the evaluated segments at the higher trotting speed.
• The identified variation in kinematic variables implied that trotting speed needs to be controlled or kept stable while evaluating gait. This allows for a more accurate and reliable analysis.