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Browsing by Author "Alves, Ana Catarina Eloy"

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  • Short-term effects of underwater treadmill therapy on ground reaction forces of canine orthopaedic patients
    Publication . Alves, Ana Catarina Eloy; Bockstahler, Barbara; Ferreira, Fernando António da Costa
    This dissertation aimed to use kinetic gait analysis to study the effects of an underwater treadmill therapy (UWT) session on ground reaction forces of dogs with lameness caused by an orthopaedic condition, located in one or both contralateral limbs of a pair. Fourteen clientowned dogs presenting appendicular orthopaedic conditions were recruited. All dogs had previously undergone UWT. The nine selected candidates were divided into two groups: Group A comprised dogs diagnosed with an orthopaedic condition in the forelimbs, and Group B individuals diagnosed with orthopaedic conditions in the hindlimbs. Pressure plate gait analysis was performed to determine ground reaction forces baseline data of all individuals. Afterwards, the dogs completed an UWT session, and gait analysis was repeated to determine postsession values. Peak and impulse of vertical forces (PFz and IFz), stance phase duration (SPD), paw pressure contact area (PCA), and step length were measured. A correlation between step length and withers height was assessed using the collective data of all participants. Contralateral limb pair symmetry was calculated using a symmetry index (SI) for the parameters PFz, IFz, SPD and PCA (SIPFz, SIIFz, SISPD and SIPCA, respectively). Nonlame dogs were excluded, using a SI cut-off value of <3% for PFz and IFz between contralateral limbs. All participants presented baseline hindlimb lameness, regardless of their diagnosis. Before and after measurements were evaluated using a paired student t-test. No statistically significant alterations were observed in any of the parameters. However, baseline and post-session values showed a strong positive correlation in Group A step length and forelimb SIPFz and SIIFz, as well as in Group B step length, mean velocity, hindlimb SIPFz and forelimb SIPCA. In Group B, post-UWT measurements showed an overall decrease in hindlimb SIPFz. In both groups, mean SIPCA increased in the forelimbs and decreased in the hindlimbs. Mean step length increased in 6 dogs and remained equal in 2 dogs. Step length and withers height exponential correlation presented a R value of 0.78. After UWT, 1 out of the 9 participants was considered nonlame. Further research is required to determine the shortterm effects of UWT in temporospatial and pressure gait parameters of dogs with orthopaedic lameness.
    2020-01-24Master thesis Open access Show more