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Home / Equine Research Bank / PLoS One / Evaluation of the hoof centre-of-pressure path in horses aff...
PloS one2023; 18(9); e0291630; doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0291630

Evaluation of the hoof centre-of-pressure path in horses affected by chronic osteoarthritic pain.

Abstract: The Centre of Pressure (COP) is the single point summarising all forces transferred to the hoof during the stance phase of a stride. COP path (COPp) is the trajectory that COP follows from footstrike to lift-off. Aim of the present study was to characterize the COP and COPp in horses affected by osteoarthritis and chronic lameness. Seventeen adult horses with a diagnosis of osteoarthritis and single limb chronic lameness were recruited. The COP was recorded using a wireless pressure measuring system (TekScan®) with sensors taped to the hooves (either fore- or hind limb, depending on lameness location). The COPp coordinates were further processed. Procrustes analysis was performed to assess the variability of single strides COPp and average COPp among strides, gaits, and limbs by calculating Procrustes distances (D-values). A linear mixed-effects model was run to analyse D-values differences for lame and sound limbs. Additionally, average COPp D-values and COPp hoofprint shape indices were compared for lame and sound limbs with the Signed Rank Test. At walk and trot the single-stride COPp D-values were significantly lower in lame than in sound limbs (marginal effects p<0.001). Analysis of the average COPp D-values confirmed that each hoof COPp is highly consistent with itself over subsequent trials but is different from the contralateral. COPp and hoofprint shape indices did not differ between sound and lame limbs. Footstrike and lift-off within the hoofprint showed that most horses had lateral footstrike and lift-off, independently of the lameness location. Our findings are in line with previous observations that COPp are highly repetitive and characteristic for each horse and limb. There seems to be a further decrease in COPp variability in the presence of a painful limb pathology.
Copyright: © 2023 Buser et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
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Publication Date: 2023-09-15 PubMed ID: 37713390PubMed Central: PMC10503732DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0291630Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This study aimed to understand the effect of osteoarthritis and chronic lameness on the force distribution (Centre of Pressure – COP) and path it follows (Centre of Pressure path – COPp) on the hoof during a horse’s stride. The conclusion was that horses with a painful limb pathology demonstrated a decrease in the variability of their COPp.

Methods of the Study

  • Seventeen adult horses diagnosed with osteoarthritis and chronic lameness in a single limb were selected for this study.
  • A wireless pressure measuring system, TekScan®, was taped to the hooves (either the front or back limbs depending on the location of lameness) to measure the COP.
  • The trajectory of the COP from footstrike (when the hoof hits the ground) to lift-off (when the hoof leaves the ground) was traced to give the COPp.
  • Procrustes analysis, a statistical technique used for comparing shapes and forms, was used to measure the variability of COPp of single strides and average COPp among strides, gaits, and limbs.
  • A linear mixed-effects model was employed to analyze these Procrustes distances (referred to as D-values) between lame and sound (healthy) limbs.

Key Findings of the Study

  • The study observed significant changes in the distribution of COP and the path it follows within the hoof in horses that were lame in one limb.
  • The single-stride COPp D-values were notably lower in lame limbs compared to healthy limbs, at both walking and trotting gaits.
  • The results did not show any notable differences in the overall footprint of the hoof between lame and healthy limbs. Neither did they show any notable changes in footstrike and lift-off patterns within the hoof – most horses had a lateral footstrike and lift-off, regardless of where the lameness was located.
  • The findings confirmed that the COPp is unique for each horse and limb, and is very consistent over subsequent trials. However, it does show differences between the left and right limbs of the same horse.
  • The findings also suggested a further reduction in COPp variability when there was a painful limb pathology.

Cite This Article

APA
Buser LI, Torelli N, Andreis S, Witte S, Spadavecchia C. (2023). Evaluation of the hoof centre-of-pressure path in horses affected by chronic osteoarthritic pain. PLoS One, 18(9), e0291630. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0291630

Publication

PloS one
ISSN: 1932-6203
NlmUniqueID: 101285081
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 18
Issue: 9
Pages: e0291630

Researcher Affiliations

Buser, Larissa Irina
  • Vetsuisse Faculty, Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Section of Anaesthesiology and Pain Therapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
Torelli, Nathan
  • Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Zürich and University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland.
Andreis, Sabrina
  • Vetsuisse Faculty, Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Section of Anaesthesiology and Pain Therapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
Witte, Stefan
  • Tierklinik Schönbühl AG, Schönbühl, Switzerland.
Spadavecchia, Claudia
  • Vetsuisse Faculty, Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Section of Anaesthesiology and Pain Therapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.

MeSH Terms

  • Horses
  • Animals
  • Hoof and Claw
  • Lameness, Animal
  • Chronic Pain
  • Lower Extremity
  • Osteoarthritis / veterinary

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

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