The advance of clinical biomechanics

Research about equine locomotion has developed from merely descriptive studies to an integral part of equine medicine and competitive events. During the last 25 years, developments in modern audiovisual and computer technology have enabled major progress to be achieved in the analysis of both athletic locomotion and patterns of pathological deviations. Many aspects of the research catalogue, elaborated by Leach and Crawford (1983), have been successfully completed. Measurement techniques have been newly developed or adapted from human gait laboratories. Conformation and gait patterns of various breeds or sport disciplines have been described in detail and parameters indicative of high performances have been elaborated (Back et al. properties have been determined as a basis for kinetic calculation of forces exerted by head and neck, limbs and trunk (Sprigings and Leach 1987; Buchner et al. 1997). Finally, general characteristics of the locomotor pattern of lame horses and their lameness compensation patterns have been described using both kinematic and kinetic methods. The results of this research period have recently been published in a compendium of current knowledge about equine locomotion (Back and Clayton 2000). Clinical biomechanics, i.e. the use of biomechanic research techniques on various aspects of equine diseases including the study of pathogenesis, objective diagnosis of lameness or evaluation of therapeutic regimens, was always a major branch in equine locomotion research. The kinematic patterns of various orthopaedic ailments have been described (Ratzlaff et al. Pourcelot et a l. 1997). Since an accurate and specific lameness diagnosis is the basis of successful therapy, but often represents a difficult and laborious part of equine orthopaedics, the most ambitious aim of clinical biomechanics in horses might be specific computer diagnosis. The analysis of multiple kinematic or kinetic characteristics should offer specific signs which allow for an early and objective diagnosis to identify a lameness and specify the location and nature of the problem, thereby offering increased opportunity to introduce therapy before the condition deteriorates further and/or avoid compounding it through continued exercise. At the moment, we are still far from reaching this advanced goal of an automatic computer lameness diagnosis. Several factors contribute to the difficulty of this project. Some general influences on the locomotion pattern of each individual have to be considered before further interpretation of a specific pattern is possible. The speed of the horses influences most stride parameters as well as joint angle patterns, and this factor has to be excluded using …