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Equine veterinary journal2021; 54(6); 1103-1113; doi: 10.1111/evj.13531

Robustness of five different visual assessment methods for the evaluation of hindlimb lameness based on tubera coxarum movement in horses at the trot on a straight line.

Abstract: The evaluation of hindlimb lameness remains a major challenge in everyday clinical practice. In the absence of clear guidelines, veterinarians use different visual assessment methods for this task whose robustness is unknown. Objective: Determination of the robustness of five visual hindlimb lameness assessment methods based on the comparison of left and right tuber coxae movement. Methods: Validated mathematical hindlimb lameness model based on experimental data from the literature. Methods: Vertical movement of left (LTC) and right (RTC) tuber coxae was simulated for the range of common hindlimb lameness movement patterns that horses present within practice. Lameness severity ranged from sound to moderately lame (0% to 60% motion asymmetry). The scenarios of a pelvis held tilted and asymmetrical pelvic roll were included to reflect possible adaptations in pelvic rotation. Across all conditions, the outcomes for five different visual assessment methods based on comparative tubera coxarum movement were quantified, including hip hike, -drop and range of motion. The robustness of each assessment method was established through comparison to sacrum-based overall motion asymmetry as the ground truth. Results: Tubera coxarum-based lameness assessment was highly sensitive to all the unique lameness patterns and changes in pelvic rotation which a lame horse may adopt. None of the five visual lameness assessment methods was 100% robust across all conditions tested. For everyday clinical practice, comparing the upward movement amplitude of the RTC before right hind foot contact and of the LTC before left hind foot contact (Hip_hike_diff) would be the most robust single tubera coxarum-based visual assessment method. Conclusions: In the absence of published data regarding the frequency of different movement patterns and hip rotation adaptations in clinical practice, this study cannot indicate the proportion of assessments that would be incorrect for a given visual assessment method. Conclusions: Using a single tubera coxarum-based visual hindlimb lameness assessment method may lead to incorrect clinical judgement. Therefore, using multiple assessment methods would be beneficial to substantiate impressions.
© 2021 The Authors. Equine Veterinary Journal published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of EVJ Ltd.
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Publication Date: 2021-12-13 PubMed ID: 34717008PubMed Central: PMC9787951DOI: 10.1111/evj.13531Google 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.

The research article focuses on evaluating the effectiveness of five visual hindlimb lameness assessment methods based on tubera coxarum movement in horses. The study highlights that none of the examined methods is completely reliable, urging the use of multiple assessment approaches for accurate clinical judgement.

Research Objective

The primary purpose of this study was to test the robustness of five visual methods used for assessing hindlimb lameness in horses. These methods revolve around observing the movement of the left and right hip bones, or tubera coxarum, of horses while trotting.

Methods

  • A validated mathematical model of hindlimb lameness, derived from literature, was utilized. This model simulated the vertical movement of the left (LTC) and right (RTC) tubera coxarum representative of hindlimb lameness patterns typically observed in horses.
  • In the model, lameness severity was set to range from sound (no lameness) to moderately lame, indicated by 0% to 60% motion asymmetry.
  • The study also considered possible changes in pelvic rotation and the scenarios of a pelvis held tilted and asymmetrical pelvic roll.
  • Consequently, the outcomes from five different visual assessment methods were measured and compared. These methods include hip hike, hip drop, and range of motion.
  • The reliability of each method was then established by comparing results with sacrum-based overall motion asymmetry – considered as the ground truth.

Results

The study found that none of the five visual lameness assessment methods was 100% reliable across all conditions tested. While assessing based on tubera coxarum movement was highly sensitive to unique lameness patterns and changes in pelvic rotation in horses, none of them proved to be completely accurate.

The research concluded that the “hip hike difference” method involving the comparison of upward movement amplitude of RTC before right hind foot contact and LTC before left hind foot contact was the most reliable single tubera coxarum-based visual assessment method.

Implications

The study recognizes the need to use multiple assessment methods to evaluate hindlimb lameness accurately. It emphasizes that relying on a single visual assessment method could lead to incorrect clinical judgement due to the variable movement patterns and hip rotation adaptations in horses and lack of any method’s complete accuracy. However, it also acknowledges the lack of published data regarding the occurrence frequency of different movement patterns and hip rotation adaptations in typical clinical practices.

Cite This Article

APA
Starke SD, May SA. (2021). Robustness of five different visual assessment methods for the evaluation of hindlimb lameness based on tubera coxarum movement in horses at the trot on a straight line. Equine Vet J, 54(6), 1103-1113. https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.13531

Publication

Equine veterinary journal
ISSN: 2042-3306
NlmUniqueID: 0173320
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 54
Issue: 6
Pages: 1103-1113

Researcher Affiliations

Starke, Sandra D
  • The Royal Veterinary College, North Mymms, Hatfield, UK.
May, Stephen A
  • The Royal Veterinary College, North Mymms, Hatfield, UK.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Biomechanical Phenomena
  • Gait
  • Hindlimb
  • Horse Diseases
  • Horses
  • Lameness, Animal / diagnosis

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Citations

This article has been cited 3 times.
  1. Leclercq A, Byström A, Söderlind M, Persson E, Rhodin M, Engell MT, Hernlund E. Evaluation of feedback methods for improved detection of hindlimb lameness in horses among riding instructors and trainers. Front Vet Sci 2022;9:992954.
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