The evaluation of limb symmetry indices using ground reaction forces collected with one or two force plates in healthy dogs

Summary

Objective: To compare the variability of symmetry indices within and between days when using one and two force plates for data collection.

Animals: Seventeen healthy client-owned adult dogs.

Methods: Vertical ground reaction force data were collected in a crossover study design, with four collection sessions on two consecutive days, and then two weeks apart (days 1, 2, 15, and 16) using both 1-plate and 2-plate collection methods. Symmetry indices were calculated for limb pairs using two standard equations (SI1 and SI2). Repeated measures analysis was used to compare symmetry indices data between plate systems and days. Significance was set at p <0.05.

Results: There were no significant differences between plate systems for SI1 and SI2. There were no significant differences between data collected on different days and no significant interaction effects between variables. Symmetry indices were consistently larger for ground reaction forces calculated from non-consecutive footfalls.

Conclusions: The use of two force plate systems will minimize variance caused by trial repetition and paired limb variation. When comparing SI1 to SI2, results were not significantly different. However, there were consistently higher mean values for SI1 compared with SI2 and symmetry indices were consistently larger for 1-plate systems compared to 2-plate systems for both symmetry indices.

Keywords

Symmetry indices - force plate - dog - ground reaction forces

• References

• 1 Rumph PF., Steiss JE., Montgomery RD.. Effects of selection and habituation on vertical ground reaction force in greyhounds. Am J Vet Res 1997; 58: 1206-1208.
• 2 Budsberg S., Verstraete M., Soutas-Little RW.. Force plate analysis of the walking gait in healthy dogs. Am J Vet Res 1987; 48: 915-918.
• 3 Jevens DJ., Hauptman JG., DeCamp CE.. et al. Contributions to variance in force-plate analysis of gait in dogs. Am J Vet Res 1993; 54: 612-615.
• 4 Riggs CM., DeCamp CE., Soutas-Little RW.. et al. Effects of subject velocity on force plate-measured ground reaction forces in healthy Greyhounds at the trot. Am J Vet Res 1993; 54: 1523-1526.
• 5 McLaughlin RM., Roush JK.. Effects of subject stance time and velocity on ground reaction forces in clinically normal Greyhounds at the trot. Am J Vet Res 1994; 55: 1666-1671.
• 6 Roush JK., McLaughlin RM.. Effects of subject stance time and velocity on ground reaction forces in clinically normal greyhounds at the walk. Am J Vet Res 1994; 55: 1672-1676.
• 7 Nordquist B., Fischer J., Kim SY.. et al. Effects of trial repetition, limb side, intraday and inter-week variation on vertical and craniocaudal ground reaction forces in clinically normal Labrador Retrievers. Vet Comp Orthop Traumatol 2011; 24: 435-444.
• 8 Volstad N., Nemke B., Muir P.. Variance associated with the use of relative velocity for force platform gait analysis in a heterogeneous population of clinically normal dogs. Vet J 2016; 207: 80-84.
• 9 Stejskal M., Torres BT., Sandberg GS.. et al. Variability of vertical ground reaction forces collected with one and two force plates in healthy dogs. Vet Comp Orthop Traumatol 2015; 5: 318-322.
• 10 Hildebrand M.. Analysis of asymmetrical gaits. J Mammalogy 1977; 58: 131-156.
• 11 Alexander R McN.. The gaits of bipedal and quadrupedal animals. Int J Robotics Res 1984; 3: 49-59.
• 12 Budsberg SC., Jevens DJ., Brown J.. et al. Evaluation of limb symmetry indices, using ground reaction forces in healthy dogs. Am J Vet Res 1993; 54: 1569-1574.
• 13 Fanchon L., Grandjean D.. Accuracy of asymmetry indices of ground reaction forces for diagnosis of hind limb lameness in dogs. Am J Vet Res 2007; 68: 1089-1094.
• 14 Voss K., Imhof J., Kaestner S.. et al. Force plate gait analysis at the walk and trot in dogs with low-grade hindlimb lameness. Vet Comp Orthop Traumatol 2007; 20: 299-304.
• 15 Colborne GR.. Are sound dogs mechanically symmetric at trot? No, actually. Vet Comp Orthop Traumatol 2008; 3: 294-301.
• 16 Weishaupt M., Weistner T., Hogg H.. et al. Compensatory load redistribution of horses with induced weight bearing hind limb lameness trotting on a treadmill. Equine Vet J 2004; 36: 727-733.
• 17 Rumph P., Kincaid S., Visco D.. et al. Redistribution of vertical ground reaction force in dogs with experimentally induced chronic hind limb lameness. Vet Surg 1995; 24: 384-389.
• 18 Rumph P., Kincaid S., Baird D.. et al. Vertical ground reaction force redistribution during experimentally induced acute synovitis in dogs. Am J Vet Res 1993; 54: 365-369.
• 19 Herzog W., Nigg BM., Read LJ.. et al. Asymmetries in ground reaction force patterns in normal human gait. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1989; 21: 110-114.
• 20 Krotscheck U., Nelson SA., Todhunter RJ.. et al. Long term functional outcome of tibial tuberosity advancement vs tibial plateau leveling osteotomy and extracapsular repair in a heterogeneous population of dogs. Vet Surg 2016; 45: 261-268.
• 21 Mölsä SH., Hyytiäinen HK., Hielm-Björkman AK.. et al. Long-term functional outcome after surgical repair of cranial cruciate ligament disease in dogs. BMC Vet Res 2014; 10: 2-11.
• 22 Robinson RO., Herzog W., Nigg BM.. Use of force platform variables to quantify the effects of chiropractic manipulation on gait symmetry. J Manipulative Physiol Ther 1987; 10: 172-176.