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Home / Equine Research Bank / Animals (Basel) / Measuring Volumetric Changes of Equine Distal Limbs: A Pilot...
Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2019; 9(10); 751; doi: 10.3390/ani9100751

Measuring Volumetric Changes of Equine Distal Limbs: A Pilot Study Examining Jumping Exercise.

Abstract: Equine athletes can incur musculoskeletal injuries due to repetitive loading during training and competition. Prior to signs of lameness, horse trainers and veterinarians may observe swelling in the distal limbs, where injuries most frequently occur. Early observations may guide modulation of training to manage physiological stress and mitigate risk of injury. However, these observations of changing limb volume can be subjective and imprecise. The aim of this study was to assess the accuracy and applicability of a tablet-mounted, 3D scanner to measure and record distal limb volumes of horses before and after exercise. Users recorded scans of a cylinder of known volume with errors up to 8%. Experienced users' measures were biased (i.e., consistently overestimated). The scanner was able to detect statistically significant increases in volume for both fore and hind limbs after one jumping session (310-2058 cm). Age and intensity of workload may play a role in magnitude of limb swelling, but had mixed conclusions between fore and hind limbs. More studies with additional horses must be performed to solidify these relationships. The evaluated 3D scanner is a low-cost, accessible tool that was able to detect changes in limb swelling as a result of exercise and mechanical stress. With continued research, this information may guide training programs to decrease injury and maximize performance of equine athletes in the future.
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Publication Date: 2019-09-30 PubMed ID: 31575002PubMed Central: PMC6826953DOI: 10.3390/ani9100751Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article

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.

The research article attempts to quantify changes in the volume of horse limbs before and after exercise. The study makes use of a 3D scanner to capture these changes and determine its accuracy.

Objective and Purpose of Research

  • The authors seek to introduce a more objective and exact means of detecting changes in the volume of a horse’s limbs due to training and competition stress.
  • A noticeable increase in limb volume often signals the onset of potential injuries. Detecting such signs early can help trainers adapt their training program, mitigating the risk of injury.
  • The study’s primary objective is to assess the accuracy of a tablet-mounted 3D scanner in recording and measuring the swelling in horse limbs after exercise.

Methodology and Findings

  • The researchers conducted scans on a cylinder to test the 3D scanner’s accuracy, revealing a margin of error up to 8%.
  • The study found the scanner typically overestimated measures, indicating a bias when used by experienced individuals.
  • Despite these limitations, the scanner successfully detected statistically significant increases in limb volumes after the horses had one jumping session. The observed increase ranged from 310 to 2058 cubic cm.
  • Moreover, the study proposed factors such as age and intensity of workload might influence limb swelling’s magnitude, though these conclusions varied between fore and hind limbs.

Implications and Future Research

  • The research recognizes that the tablet-mounted 3D scanner, despite its limitations, is a cost-effective and user-friendly tool that can detect limb swelling changes due to exercise and mechanical stress.
  • With more comprehensive studies involving a larger number of horses, the relationship between exercise, workload, age, and limb swelling can be further solidified.
  • This data could potentially guide future training programs, helping to reduce injuries and optimize the performance of equine athletes.

Cite This Article

APA
Johnson S, Symons J. (2019). Measuring Volumetric Changes of Equine Distal Limbs: A Pilot Study Examining Jumping Exercise. Animals (Basel), 9(10), 751. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani9100751

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 9
Issue: 10
PII: 751

Researcher Affiliations

Johnson, Steven
  • Shiley School of Engineering, University of Portland, Portland, OR 97203, USA. johnsons19@up.edu.
Symons, Jennifer
  • Shiley School of Engineering, University of Portland, Portland, OR 97203, USA. symons@up.edu.

Grant Funding

  • NA / Engineering Project Development Fund, Shiley School of Engineering

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, or in the decision to publish the results.

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Citations

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