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Home / Equine Research Bank / J Am Vet Med Assoc / Objective assessment of the compensatory effect of clinical ...
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association2016; 249(8); 940-944; doi: 10.2460/javma.249.8.940

Objective assessment of the compensatory effect of clinical hind limb lameness in horses: 37 cases (2011-2014).

Abstract: OBJECTIVE To characterize and describe the compensatory load redistribution that results from unilateral hind limb lameness in horses. DESIGN Retrospective case series. ANIMALS 37 client-owned horses. PROCEDURES Medical records were reviewed to identify horses with unilateral hind limb lameness that responded positively (by objective assessment) to diagnostic local anesthesia during lameness evaluation and that were evaluated before and after diagnostic local anesthesia with an inertial sensor-based lameness diagnosis system. Horses were grouped as having hind limb lameness only, hind limb and ipsilateral forelimb lameness, or hind limb and contralateral forelimb lameness. Measures of head and pelvic movement asymmetry before (baseline) and after diagnostic local anesthesia were compared. The effect of group on baseline pelvic movement asymmetry variables was analyzed statistically. RESULTS Maximum pelvic height significantly decreased from the baseline value after diagnostic local anesthesia in each of the 3 lameness groups and in all horses combined. Minimum pelvic height significantly decreased after the procedure in all groups except the hind limb and contralateral forelimb lameness group. Head movement asymmetry was significantly decreased after diagnostic local anesthesia for horses with hind limb and ipsilateral forelimb lameness and for all horses combined, but not for those with hind limb lameness only or those with hind limb and contralateral forelimb lameness. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results supported that hind limb lameness can cause compensatory load redistribution evidenced as ipsilateral forelimb lameness. In this population of horses, contralateral forelimb lameness was not compensatory and likely reflected true lameness. Further studies are needed to investigate the source of the contralateral forelimb lameness in such horses.
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Publication Date: 2016-10-05 PubMed ID: 27700267DOI: 10.2460/javma.249.8.940Google 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 studied how horses adjust their body to cope with hind limb lameness, demonstrating that lameness in the back leg can trigger an irregular gait in the same-side front leg—termed as ipsilateral forelimb lameness. The study also found that lameness in the opposite front leg—contralateral forelimb lameness—is likely due to actual injury and not a compensatory mechanism.

Methodology

  • The study was retrospective, reviewing medical records of 37 client-owned horses suffering from unilateral hind limb lameness.
  • These horses had responded positively to diagnostic local anesthesia during lameness evaluation.
  • The horses were divided into three groups: having hind limb lameness only, hind limb and ipsilateral forelimb lameness, or hind limb and contralateral forelimb lameness.
  • The researchers used an inertial sensor-based lameness diagnosis system to observe the horses both before and after diagnostic local anesthesia.
  • They measured each horse’s head and pelvic movement asymmetry at baseline and post-anesthesia.

Findings

  • The maximum pelvic height decreased significantly after the application of diagnostic local anesthesia in all the studied groups.
  • The minimum pelvic height also decreased following the procedure, except in the hind limb and contralateral forelimb lameness group.
  • Head movement asymmetry was significantly less after diagnostic local anesthesia in horses with hind limb and ipsilateral forelimb lameness and in all horses combined. However, it did not significantly decrease in those with hind limb lameness only or in those with hind limb and contralateral forelimb lameness.

Implications and Future Research Directions

  • The results implied that hind limb lameness led to compensatory changes in the horse’s gait, manifesting as ipsilateral forelimb lameness.
  • The study also suggested that contralateral forelimb lameness is not a compensatory change, but rather indicative of true lameness, needing further investigation.
  • This research establishes a foundation for future studies to explore the origins of contralateral forelimb lameness in horses with hind limb lameness.

Cite This Article

APA
Maliye S, Marshall JF. (2016). Objective assessment of the compensatory effect of clinical hind limb lameness in horses: 37 cases (2011-2014). J Am Vet Med Assoc, 249(8), 940-944. https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.249.8.940

Publication

Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
ISSN: 1943-569X
NlmUniqueID: 7503067
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 249
Issue: 8
Pages: 940-944

Researcher Affiliations

Maliye, Sylvia
    Marshall, John F

      MeSH Terms

      • Animals
      • Biomechanical Phenomena
      • Hindlimb / pathology
      • Horse Diseases / diagnosis
      • Horses
      • Lameness, Animal / diagnosis
      • Pelvis / physiology

      Citations

      This article has been cited 18 times.
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