The clinical applicability of automated gait analysis systems.

The research article evaluates the clinical utility of automated gait analysis systems for diagnosing and treating conditions related to a horse’s back. Although it recognizes the advancement and potential of these technologies, the study also highlights the challenges hindering their widespread implementation in clinical settings.

Historical Background

• The study begins by explaining the history of equine kinematic gait analysis, which dates back to the 1870s. The goal was initially to determine whether a horse had an airborne phase when trotting, a question solved by Eadweard Muybridge through serial photography.
• Technological developments since Muybridge’s time have significantly improved gait analysis techniques, allowing accurate characterisation and quantification of equine gait.

Early Expectations and Developments

• Initially, the accuracy of these techniques sparked high expectations for their clinical application, especially for diagnosing lameness in horses.
• Several attempts were made to develop clinically applicable tools. Notable examples include Merkens and Schamhardt’s force plate analyses and development of the Hindex, as well as the Kaegi system, which used electrical signals to detect lameness causes.

Limitations of Automated Gait Analysis Systems

• Despite these advancements, routine use of automated gait analysis systems in clinical settings remains limited. The limitations are not technical, but rather due to the biological variability in horses and the limited ways in which their bodies can react to pain or disorders.
• Also, most horses do not exhibit perfect symmetry in their movements, creating a grey area between normal and pathological conditions. This further complicates the identification of specific ailments through these gait analysis techniques.

Current Value and Applications

• Despite these challenges, the article argues that gait analysis systems are not merely expensive tools for scientists. Such tools have reshaped our understanding of equine gait and can visualise movements beyond human perception.
• Automated gait analysis techniques are particularly valuable for longitudinal monitoring of the same patient, making them useful for evaluating various treatment modalities. This can pave the way for testing the effectiveness of treatments used for equine back pain.