Force platform evaluation of lameness severity following extracorporeal shock wave therapy in horses with unilateral forelimb lameness.
Abstract: To measure alterations in lameness severity that occur following use of extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) in horses with naturally occurring unilateral forelimb lameness. Methods: Nonrandomized clinical trial. Methods: 9 horses with unilateral forelimb lameness. Methods: Force platform gait analysis was performed prior to administration of any treatments (baseline) and after use of local anesthesia to eliminate the lameness. Extracorporeal shock wave therapy was then administered, and gait analysis was repeated 8 hours later and then daily for 7 days. Results: Compared with the baseline value, peak vertical force was significantly increased 8 hours and 2 days after ESWT, and peak vertical force on day 2 was not significantly different from force measured after use of local anesthesia to eliminate the lameness. Similarly, vertical impulse was significantly increased, compared with the baseline value, 8 hours and 2 days after ESWT, but at all times, it was significantly lower than vertical impulse measured after use of local anesthesia. Conclusions: Results suggest that in horses with naturally occurring lameness, use of ESWT results in a period of acute improvement in lameness severity that typically persists for 2 days. Thus, in horses undergoing ESWT, exercise should be controlled for a minimum of 2 days after treatment to prevent further injury.
Publication Date: 2006-07-05 PubMed ID: 16817722DOI: 10.2460/javma.229.1.100Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Clinical Trial
- Journal Article
Summary
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The research involved testing the effects of extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) on horses with naturally occurring unilateral forelimb lameness and found that there was a significant improvement in lameness severity for up to two days after treatment.
Objective of the Research
- The main aim of this research was to assess the changes in the severity of lameness in horses after administering extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT).
Methods Used in the Research
- The research was a nonrandomized clinical trial involving nine horses with unilateral forelimb lameness.
- Prior to starting the therapy, force platform gait analysis was performed on the horses to establish a baseline measurement.
- Local anesthesia was then applied to the lame leg to eliminate the lameness, at which point force measurements were taken again.
- Following this, ESWT was administered, and gait analysis was performed 8 hours later and then every day for seven days.
Results from the Research
- Compared with the baseline measurements, peak vertical force and vertical impulse were significantly increased 8 hours and 2 days after ESWT.
- However, the increase in vertical impulse was lower than that measured after using local anesthesia, while the peak vertical force on day 2 was not significantly different from the force measured after anesthesia.
Conclusion of the Research
- The results suggest that ESWT leads to a temporary improvement in lameness severity in horses, which generally lasts for 2 days.
- As such, it is recommended that horses undergoing ESWT should have controlled exercise for a minimum of 2 days after treatment to prevent further injury.
Cite This Article
APA
Dahlberg JA, McClure SR, Evans RB, Reinertson EL.
(2006).
Force platform evaluation of lameness severity following extracorporeal shock wave therapy in horses with unilateral forelimb lameness.
J Am Vet Med Assoc, 229(1), 100-103.
https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.229.1.100 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Analgesia / veterinary
- Animals
- Female
- Foot Diseases / therapy
- Foot Diseases / veterinary
- Forelimb
- Gait
- High-Energy Shock Waves / therapeutic use
- Horse Diseases / therapy
- Horses
- Lameness, Animal / therapy
- Male
- Prospective Studies
- Severity of Illness Index
- Treatment Outcome
Citations
This article has been cited 7 times.- Boström A, Bergh A, Hyytiäinen H, Asplund K. Systematic Review of Complementary and Alternative Veterinary Medicine in Sport and Companion Animals: Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy. Animals (Basel) 2022 Nov 12;12(22).
- Chen Y, Lyu K, Lu J, Jiang L, Zhu B, Liu X, Li Y, Liu X, Long L, Wang X, Xu H, Wang D, Li S. Biological response of extracorporeal shock wave therapy to tendinopathy in vivo (review). Front Vet Sci 2022;9:851894.
- Story MR, Haussler KK, Nout-Lomas YS, Aboellail TA, Kawcak CE, Barrett MF, Frisbie DD, McIlwraith CW. Equine Cervical Pain and Dysfunction: Pathology, Diagnosis and Treatment. Animals (Basel) 2021 Feb 6;11(2).
- MacKay AV, McOnie RC, Riddell LP, Robinson KA. Characterization of the use of shock wave therapy among equine veterinarians. Can Vet J 2020 Sep;61(9):990-993.
- Moser DK, Schoonover MJ, Sippel KM, Dieterly AM, Ritchey JW, Wall CR. Catastrophic complication following injection and extracorporeal shock wave therapy of a medial femoral condyle subchondral cystic lesion in a 14 year old Arabian mare. Open Vet J 2017;7(2):111-116.
- Memon MA, Shmalberg J, Adair HS 3rd, Allweiler S, Bryan JN, Cantwell S, Carr E, Chrisman C, Egger CM, Greene S, Haussler KK, Hershey B, Holyoak GR, Johnson M, Jeune SL, Looney A, McConnico RS, Medina C, Morton AJ, Munsterman A, Nie GJ, Park N, Parsons-Doherty M, Perdrizet JA, Peyton JL, Raditic D, Ramirez HP, Saik J, Robertson S, Sleeper M, Dyke JV, Wakshlag J. Integrative veterinary medical education and consensus guidelines for an integrative veterinary medicine curriculum within veterinary colleges. Open Vet J 2016;6(1):44-56.
- Wang AYL, Aviña AE, Liu YY, Kao HK. Stromal vascular fraction in canine osteoarthritis: advantages, applications, and insights for veterinary practitioners. Front Vet Sci 2025;12:1586629.
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