Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Muscle activity and leg movement in dogs walking with hip
By Bockstahler, Barbara et al.·Published in Veterinary surgery : VS·2012·Clinic for Surgery and Ophthalmology·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Pelvic limb kinematics and surface electromyography of the vastus lateralis, biceps femoris, and gluteus medius muscle in dogs with hip osteoarthritis.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs with hip osteoarthritis (OA) showed changes in how their leg muscles worked while walking. Researchers found that the muscles responsible for moving the leg had less activity during certain phases of walking compared to healthy dogs. Specifically, the vastus lateralis and gluteus medius muscles were more active in the affected leg during the early stance phase. This indicates that dogs with hip OA may have altered muscle function, which could affect their mobility. Understanding these changes can help veterinarians develop better treatment plans for dogs with hip OA.
People also search for: dog hip osteoarthritis symptoms · how to help dog with hip pain · dog muscle activity hip problems
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To measure the activity patterns of the vastus lateralis (VL), biceps femoris, and gluteus medius (GM) muscle at a walk in sound dogs and dogs with hip osteoarthritis (OA). ANIMALS: Dogs (n = 10) with hip OA and 7 clinically sound dogs. METHODS: Self-reflective markers and a high-speed camera system were used for kinematic measurements and surface electrodes were used for the electromyography (EMG). All measurements were performed on walking dogs. Maximal, minimal, and mean values of the joint angles were evaluated, together with the surface EMG data. RESULTS: In all muscles investigated, mean activity was significantly decreased during the early swing phase in dogs with hip OA. The VL and GM muscle of the clinically worse pelvic limb had significantly higher activity than the contralateral pelvic limb during early stance. CONCLUSION: The muscles investigated were significantly affected by hip OA. This finding suggests that there is a more distinct resting phase of the muscles during swing and a higher activity during early stance.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22188303/