AK Vet Med, s.r.o. is preparing under the auspices of the Association of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation of Animals of the Czech Republic, z.s. a congress Dogs in Motion, which will be presented for the first time in the Czech Republic by Prof. Dr. Dr. H. C. Martin S. Fischer from the University of Jena. The entire two-day congress will be simultaneously interpreted into Czech. You can register for the congress HERE.
Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c. Martin S. Fischer
Martin Stephan Fischer (*10 July 1954 in Reutlingen) is a German zoologist, evolutionary biologist and movement researcher. Since 1993 Fischer has been professor of zoology and evolutionary biology at the Friedrich Schiller University Jena.
Fischer studied from 1975 to 1983 in Tübingen with Gerhard Mickoleit, Wolf-Ernst Reif and Dolf-Seilacher and in Paris with Francoise Jouffroy and Pascal Tassy. He was also influenced by his later encounter with Dietrich Starck. In 1986 Fischer received his doctorate (Dr. rer. nat.) from the University of Tübingen. His dissertation was entitled Die Stellung der Schliefer (Hyracoidea) im phylogenetischen System der Eutheria: zugleich ein Beitr. zur Anpassunsgeschichte d.Procaviidae. For one year he taught human anatomy at the Center for Morphology at the University of Frankfurt am Main. He then worked as a research assistant to Wolfgang Maier at the Zoological Institute in Tübingen. Immediately after his habilitation in 1993, he was appointed Head of the Department of Special Zoology and Evolutionary Biology at the Friedrich Schiller University Jena, where he is still Director of the Institute and Department of the Phyletic Museum of the same name.
Martin S. Fischer is the founder of modern fluoroscopy or X-ray cine in Germany. His research and that of his working group includes all major groups of terrestrial vertebrates, especially mammals and birds. The largest relevant archive of the institute in the world ("Jena X-ray film collection") contains more than 60,000 X-ray films and about 20,000 films from the first 15 years of his working group. Since 2005, he has been intensively involved in the movement of dogs and has changed the way we look at the musculoskeletal system, especially in veterinary medicine. Since the late 1990s he has been involved in national and international projects to develop dog carts. Fischer has been and is involved in many national and international university, academic and technical committees (Scientific Council, DFG, CNRS) and has been active in building his faculty, including as dean in the post-reunification period
Together with his wife, the cultural critic Barbara Happe, he organises large annual art exhibitions for the university in the old tram depot in Jena. The exhibition features artists such as Frank Stella, Peter Halley and Rotraut. The couple are the owners of Haus Auerbach in Jena, the first private Bauhaus, built by Walter Gropius in 1924.
In 1986 Fischer received the sponsorship award of the German Society for Mammalogy for his doctorate. In 2018, he was awarded an honorary doctorate by the Department of Veterinary Medicine at Justus Liebig University of Giessen.
Book Dogs in motion
This book presents a wealth of fascinating insights into canine locomotion, a previously virtually unknown field, presented in a scientific style that is generally understandable. The extensive collection of data and pictures is thus treated in a richly illustrated publication. "Dog in motion", not only impresses with scientific results and sets new benchmarks by animating the course of movement into video sequences, the illustrations serve a dual purpose, they are informative and aesthetic. The illustrations were created by Lauströer and Andikfar. This very interesting book does not appeal exclusively to scientists, but is aimed at all dog owners and people interested in dogs (or mammalian anatomy) in general, as outlined in the introduction. The book is accompanied by a DVD with extensive visual material including high-speed videos of selected dogs, X-rays and many animations. The innovative illustration style brings the anatomy of the dogs to life, illustrating the skeleton and muscles and connective tissues in motion. Based on the results of the largest study on the subject to date, an experiment involving 327 dogs of 32 different breeds, the book provides entirely new insights into the movement sequences that dogs perform. The accompanying DVD contains over 400 films, X-rays and 3D animations and demonstrates with precision and clarity both the variability and uniformity of canine locomotion. Previous studies on canine locomotion have focused on disorders of canine locomotion, while others have concentrated on specific aspects of movement. The exact sequences of movement within the locomotor system were unknown until Fischer and his team began studying healthy dogs in motion. The book "Dog in Motion" contains the comprehensive results of a study of more than 300 dogs and their movements at a stride, trot or canter. The dogs were studied using several techniques to reveal how they move. Martin Fischer and Karin Lilje used high-speed X-rays as well as infrared imaging based on reflex points placed on the dogs to record details of their movement from the side and the front. Combining these methods, they obtained data on the dogs' movements with a previously unknown accuracy. Interestingly, they found that no matter what breed of dog they tracked, the patterns of movement matched. Although the gaits of many breeds may seem very different, the basic movements of bones, muscles and connective tissues are not that different. Considering the proportions of the forelimbs of dogs, Fischer et al. found that they are almost identical in all breeds of dogs. As regards the total length of the forelimb, the length of the humerus is always exactly 27 %. From this it can be concluded that all dogs run very similarly - whether they are a toy breed or a German Shepherd or Great Dane. The study shows that previous representations and textbooks have been incomplete or even erroneous, especially regarding the heights of the corresponding parts of the thoracic and pelvic limbs. The scapula, representing the brachial plexus in dogs, and the os coxae are often depicted at the same level, whereas the actual location of these joints is in fact different. Rather, the femur (thigh) and scapula correspond, as do the humerus and tibia/fibula and the forearm and midfoot of the pelvic limb. According to the authors, the scapula and forearm move in corresponding motion with the thigh and midfoot of the pelvic limb, which is different than previously thought. The hip and shoulder joints of animals are not at the same level, these joints do not correlate with each other. And they're not the centre of rotation during movement. The centre of rotation of the forelimbs is the scapula. The scapula is connected to the skeleton only by muscles (a kind of synsarcosis). The shoulder joint itself remains almost immobile during movement. The great variety of domestic dogs move in basically similar ways; the domestication-induced variation in morphology as an extreme form of selective breeding has not changed these basic similarities. It would be fascinating to compare all these highly interesting findings on dog movement with the findings on the "wolf in motion" to get an idea of the changes caused by domestication related to the process of movement. A human-bred wolf before sexual maturity could move and aim in the same way as dogs. It is possible that the basic movements will not be so different. Fischer and Lilje shed light on the process of movement in dogs. Their findings will change academic teaching. The book "Dog in motion" should become an essential part of anatomy teaching in veterinary medicine and zoology courses.
New study
Every owner of a puppy or young dog is looking for answers to questions about the movement of the puppy, so as to prevent the development of orthopedic diseases. Questions such as: how many minutes or hours is a puppy allowed to move?, what happens if this ideal value is exceeded?, will excess movement cause joint wear?, can a puppy be allowed to walk up and down stairs? Unfortunately, we don't know many answers to these questions to date, I mean, scientifically verified answers. And as the authors of the new study say: where knowledge ends, opinions begin. And they may not always be true. So, in order to learn the scientific facts about the development of movement in puppies and young dogs, a large, multi-year study on the development of movement in selected breeds was started in Germany in 2021 with the participation of Prof. Dr. Martin S. Fischer.
A study to answer questions such as:
- Does the movement pattern change during development from puppy to adult dog?
- How does the movement pattern change in an adult dog?
In addition, it addresses the question of whether detected deviations from the norm are an early indicator of musculoskeletal disorders. This means that, ideally, the development of diseases such as hip dysplasia or elbow dysplasia can be identified very early in the puppy. The aim is to document the diversity of development, especially of littermates, but at least within the same breed.
Measurements of movement parameters begin to be taken in puppies before the age of 16 weeks until after reaching adulthood. Dogs are followed for 3 years. The selection of breeds was based on the fact that some breeds are more likely to have hereditary musculoskeletal changes. The selected breeds were, with the help of prof.Dr.Peter Friedrich, President of the VDH, purebreds of the breeds Erdelterrier, Australian Shepherd, Beagle, Belgian Shepherds (Malinois, Groenedael, Laekenois, Tervueren), Bernese Mountain Dog, Border Collie, Boxer, Collie, Golden Retriever, Large Swiss Mountain Dog, Hovawart, Siberian Husky, Samoyed, Alaskan Malamute, Rottweiler, Scottish Terrier, Whippet, Welsh Corgi.
The examination is carried out using the CanidGait® treadmill system - a treadmill equipped with a matrix of pressure sensors that record vertical limb forces and detailed pressure distribution in the dog's paw, as well as metric parameters (stride lengths, gait cycle length, speed and duration, and the duration of the support and ascent phase - cadence). By detecting the position of the centre of gravity during locomotion, valuable information on gait symmetry is obtained.
During the study, participants complete questionnaires about their dog's development.
More here: https://gangwerkentwicklung.uni-jena.de/about
Limb dynamics in agility jumps
The dynamics of different gaits in dogs have been investigated in many studies, but there are no studies that focus on the dynamics of the limbs during jumping. Jumping is an essential part of agility, a dog sport in which handlers lead their dogs through an obstacle course in the shortest time possible. We hypothesized that limb parameters, such as limb length and stiffness, indicate the skill level of the dogs. We analyzed global limb parameters during jumping in 10 advanced and 10 novice dogs. In the experiments, we collected 3D kinematics and ground reaction forces during the dogs' jumps at high speeds. Our results revealed general limb control strategies during jumping and highlighted differences between advanced and novice dogs. On rebound, the spatially leading thoracic limb was 75 % (P<0.001) stiffer than the following thoracic limb. On rebound, the following thoracic limb was 14 % (P<0.001) stiffer than the leading thoracic limb. This suggests a buckling action of the thoracic limbs to achieve jump height at take-off and to transfer vertical velocity to horizontal velocity at impact (with changes in the roles of the thoracic limbs). During the rebound, the beginners' thoracic limbs were more compliant (24 %) during the rebound phase (P=0.005), resulting in 17 % (P=0.017) more limb compression during the support phase. This was related to a greater degree of eccentric muscle contraction, which in turn could explain the more frequent soft tissue injuries that often occur in the shoulder region in beginner dogs. For all limbs, limb length at rebound was greater in advanced dogs. Thus, limb length and stiffness could be used as objective measures of skill.
Söhnel K, Rode C, de Lussanet MHE, Wagner H, Fischer MS, Andrada E. Limb dynamics in agility jumps of beginner and advanced dogs. J Exp Biol. 2020 Apr 1;223(Pt 7):jeb202119. https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.202119 PMID: 32098886.
Thoracic limb of the beagle
The first high-precision in vivo 3D hindlimb kinematic data recorded in normal dogs of four breeds (beagle, French bulldog, malinois, vippet) using biplanar high-frequency fluoroscopy combined with a 3D optoelectronic system and subsequent marker-free XROMM analysis (Scientific Rotoscopy, SR or 3D-2D registration process) reveals
- 3D hind limb kinematics to an unprecedented degree,
- significant limitations in the use of skin marker-based data.
We expected the kinematics of the hind limbs to vary depending on body shape. However, a comparison of the four breeds establishes that the French Bulldog differs from the others in terms of trajectories in the frontal plane (abduction/adduction) and femoral rotation in the long axis. French bulldogs convert extensive long-axis femoral rotation (>30°) into strong lateral displacement and rotation around the craniocaudal (roll) and distal-proximal part of the bony axis (abduction) of the pelvis to compensate for the strongly abducted position of the hind limbs at the start of standing. We hypothesize that breeds that exhibit unusual kinematics, particularly high femoral abduction, may be susceptible to higher long-term cruciate ligament loads.
Fischer M.S., Silvia V. Lehmann S.V., Andrada E. Three-dimensional kinematics of canine hind limbs: in vivo, biplanar, high-frequency fluoroscopic analysis of four breeds during walking and trotting. Scientific REporTS | (2018) 8:16982 | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-34310-0
3-D inverse dynamic analysis of the entire thoracic limb of healthy dogs at walk and trot
OBJECTIVE
Perform a 3-D inverse dynamic analysis of the entire thoracic limb of healthy dogs at walk and trot.
ANIMALS
5 healthy adult beagles.
PROCEDURES
The left thoracic limb of each dog was marked with 19 anatomical markers. X-ray fluoroscopy was used to optimize marker positioning and to perform scientific rotoscopy in 1 dog. Inversion dynamics at walk and trot were calculated for each dog based on data obtained from the infrared motion capture system and instrumented four-band tape. Morphometric data were obtained from a virtual reconstruction of the left thoracic limb created from a CT scan of the same dog in which scientific rotoscopy was performed.
RESULTS
Segmental angles, torque and force patterns were described for the scapula, humerus, ulna and carpus segments in the body frame. For the scapula and humerus, the kinematics and dynamics determined from fluoroscopy data differed significantly from those determined from marker data. The dominant effect of scapular rotation on forelimb kinematics was confirmed. The directional changes in torque and force patterns for each segment were fairly consistent between the two gaits, but the amplitude of these changes was often greater during trotting than during walking.
CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE
The results showed that the joint control of the hindlimb joints of the dogs was similar during both walking and trotting. Rotation of the thoracic limb around the longitudinal axis and scapular motion should be reconsidered when evaluating musculoskeletal disorders, especially before and after treatment or rehabilitation.
Andrada E., Reinhardt L., Lucas K., Fischer M. S.. Three-dimensional inverse dynamics of the forelimb of beagles at a walk and trot. Am J Vet Res2017;78:804-817, https://doi.org/10.2460/ajvr.78.7.804