Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Stifle arthritis lowers measured but not active knee motion in dogs
By Volz, Frederik et al.·Published in American journal of veterinary research·2026·Small Animal Clinic, Germany·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Stifle osteoarthritis reduces goniometric but not active range of motion in dogs with cranial cruciate ligament disease.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs with cranial cruciate ligament disease (CCLD) were evaluated for their knee joint movement and the impact of osteoarthritis on their mobility. The study found that while the dogs showed reduced goniometric range of motion (gROM) in their knees, their active range of motion (aROM) was not significantly affected. This suggests that measuring the goniometric extension of the knee can help veterinarians assess the severity of osteoarthritis and its impact on a dog's function. Understanding these differences can guide treatment decisions for dogs suffering from knee issues.
People also search for: dog knee pain · cranial cruciate ligament disease treatment · osteoarthritis in dogs symptoms
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relationship between goniometric stifle range of motion (gROM), active stifle range of motion (aROM), and stifle osteoarthritis (sOA) in dogs with cranial cruciate ligament disease (CCLD) and to assess the association between gROM and aROM in CCL-affected and control dogs. METHODS: Dogs weighing 20 to 40 kg with CCLD before surgery (CCL-Dogs) and orthopedically healthy controls (C-Dogs) were enrolled between August 1, 2020, and August 1, 2021. Objective gait analysis was performed on a treadmill using a 2-D marker-based system. Goniometric stifle extension (gSE) and goniometric stifle flexion (gSF) were measured 3 times by 3 observers. sOA was scored on a scale from 1 (none) to 4 (severe). Spearman rank correlation (r) described associations between sOA, gROM, and aROM. RESULTS: 15 CCL-Dogs and 10 C-Dogs were included. These preliminary data demonstrated that in CCL-Dogs, gROM (r = -0.644) and gSE (r = -0.751) showed significant correlations with sOA. No significant correlations were found between sOA and active stifle flexion (r = -0.160), active stifle extension (r = -0.138), aROM (r = 0.036), or gSF (r = 0.198). No significant correlation was observed between aROM and gROM in either CCL-Dogs (r = -0.346) or C-Dogs (r = -0.127). CONCLUSIONS: In C-Dogs and CCL-Dogs, aROM and gROM are not associated. In CCL-Dogs, sOA is associated with reduced gROM and gSE, indicating that gROM rather than aROM reflects joint impairment. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Goniometric measurement of stifle extension may serve as a practical indicator of osteoarthritic severity and functional limitation in dogs with CCLD.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41468695/