Obstacle walking is a widely used physiotherapy exercise in dogs. Current research is limited to the effect of this exercise on kinematics and muscle activation in dogs. This study evaluated the effect of obstacle walking on ground reaction forces (GRF) and center of pressure (COP) in dogs. Data from dogs walking over one and two obstacles on a pressure platform were retrospectively analyzed and compared to normal gait. Walking over one obstacle had no effect on GRF and COP of the thoracic limbs, but significant changes were observed in the pelvic limbs, especially in the lead pelvic limb. Walking over two obstacles caused significant changes in only one value in the thoracic limbs, whereas multiple significant changes in GRF and COP values were observed in the pelvic limbs. It seems that walking over obstacles is challenging even for healthy adult dogs. Further studies are needed to investigate how different obstacle heights and distances between obstacles may pose additional challenges for animals. In the future, the combination of kinetics and kinematics during obstacle walking may be used as a diagnostic tool in geriatric and neurological patients to assess their proprioceptive awareness or to assess improvement after an intervention such as physiotherapy treatment.
Our results showed significant differences in walking over obstacles compared to normal walking, especially in the pelvic limbs. Obstacle walking appears to be challenging even for healthy adult dogs. Dogs increased the impulse and stance phase while decreasing the COP-Sp rate to overcome obstacles without touching or falling. Further studies are needed to understand the underlying adaptive mechanism (or avoidance strategy) of using forces to move the body efficiently and safely over obstacles and to explore how different obstacle heights and distances between obstacles may further challenge animals. In addition, the combination of kinetics and kinematics in walking over obstacles may in the future be used as a diagnostic tool in geriatric and neurological patients to assess their proprioception and awareness or to assess improvement after an intervention such as physiotherapy treatment.
Charalambous D, Strasser T, Tichy A, Bockstahler B. Ground Reaction Forces and Center of Pressure within the Paws When Stepping over Obstacles in Dogs. Animals (Basel). 2022 Jun 30;12(13):1702. doi: 10.3390/ani12131702. PMID: 35804600; PMCID: PMC9264929.
