Inter-evaluator and Intra-evaluator Reliability of a Software Program Used to Extract Kinematic Variables Obtained by an Extremity-Mounted Inertial Measurement Unit System in Sound Horses at the Trot Under Soft and Hard Ground Conditions and Treadmill Exercise.
Abstract: To assess the inter-evaluator and intra-evaluator reliability of a software program used to extract kinematic variables by a commercially available extremity-mounted inertial measurement unit system in sound horses at the trot under soft and hard ground conditions and treadmill exercise. Thirty adult, sound and healthy French Montagne stallions. Data collection was performed with six IMUs strapped to the distal, metacarpal, metatarsal and tibial regions of every horse. Per surface (treadmill, soft and hard ground) 10 stallions were trotted three times. Prior to the analysis done by six evaluators (three experienced, three inexperienced) the data was blinded and copied three times. For every analysis a minimum of five strides had to be selected. To assess the intra- and inter-evaluator reliability a selection of gait variables was used to calculate intra and inter correlation coefficients (ICCs) as well as variance partitioning coefficients (VPCs). All of the tested gait variables showed high levels of reliability. There was no mentionable difference considering the correlation coefficients between the intra and inter reliability as well as between the three different surfaces. VPCs showed that the factor horse is by far the most responsible for any appearing variance. The experience of the evaluator had no influence on the results. The software program tested in this study has a high inter- and intra-evaluator reliability under the chosen conditions for the selected variables and acts independent of the ground situation and the experience of the evaluator. On the condition of a correct application it has the potential to become a clinically relevant and reliable gait analysis tool.
Copyright © 2021 Schwarz, Vidondo, Maninchedda, Sprick, Schöpfer and Cruz.
Publication Date: 2021-03-04 PubMed ID: 33748204PubMed Central: PMC7969790DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.595455Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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This research evaluates the reliability of a software program used with a body-worn sensor system to analyze the movement of horses as they trot on different surfaces. The study found the software to be reliable regardless of the evaluator’s experience or ground condition, suggesting its potential as a useful tool in clinical gait analysis.
Introduction and Objective
This research study primarily aimed to assess the inter-evaluator (among different evaluators) and intra-evaluator (within the same evaluator) reliability of a software program designed to interpret readings from an ‘extremity-mounted inertial measurement unit’ (IMU) system. These systems are used to analyze the movement, among healthy horses, across various ground conditions (soft, hard, and treadmill) during trotting.
Methods
- Thirty healthy adult French Montagne stallions were involved in this study.
- Six IMUs were strapped to the distal, metacarpal, metatarsal, and tibial regions of each horse.
- At each surface (treadmill, soft and hard ground) 10 horses were trotted three times each.
- The collected data was blinded and copied three times before being analyzed by six evaluators, half of whom were experienced and half inexperienced.
- To assess the reliability of the software, a variety of variables related to the horses’ gait were analyzed using ‘inter correlation coefficients’ (ICCs) and ‘variance partitioning coefficients’ (VPCs).
Results
- The study reported high levels of reliability for all analyzed gait variables.
- No significant difference was observed between intra and inter reliability or among the different surfaces when considering the correlation coefficients.
- As per the VPCs, the largest variance was attributed to the horse factor, indicating that individual horse characteristics accounted for most differences in the data.
- The experience level of the evaluator did not significantly affect the results.
Conclusion
The software program demonstrated high inter and intra evaluator reliability under the tested conditions and for the selected variables, indicating it is robust against factors like the ground conditions and evaluator experience. Provided it is applied correctly, the software has the potential to be a clinically relevant and reliable tool for gait analysis in horses.
Cite This Article
APA
Schwarz J, Vidondo B, Maninchedda UE, Sprick M, Schöpfer MC, Cruz AM.
(2021).
Inter-evaluator and Intra-evaluator Reliability of a Software Program Used to Extract Kinematic Variables Obtained by an Extremity-Mounted Inertial Measurement Unit System in Sound Horses at the Trot Under Soft and Hard Ground Conditions and Treadmill Exercise.
Front Vet Sci, 8, 595455.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2021.595455 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Vetsuisse Faculty, Institut Suisse de Medicine Equine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
- Vetsuisse Faculty, Veterinary Public Health Institute, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
- Vetsuisse Faculty, Institut Suisse de Medicine Equine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
- Vetsuisse Faculty, Institut Suisse de Medicine Equine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
- Vetsuisse Faculty, Institut Suisse de Medicine Equine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
- Vetsuisse Faculty, Institut Suisse de Medicine Equine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
- Clinic of Equine Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Giessen, Germany.
Conflict of Interest Statement
The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
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