Comparative Kinematic Analysis of Hurdle Clearance Technique in Dogs: A Preliminary Report.

Although the jumping characteristics of agility dogs have been examined in recent years, there is currently a lack of data related to the suspension phase. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the biomechanics of the suspension phase of the agility jump and to analyze the kinematic differences in dogs with different jumping abilities. Two groups of dogs of the same height category (large dogs) competing at different skill levels and assessed as excellent jumpers ( = 4) and less-skilled jumpers ( = 3), respectively, were analyzed and statistically compared.

Surface Electromyography of the Longissimus and Gluteus Medius Muscles in Greyhounds Walking and Trotting on Ground Flat, Up, and Downhill.

In the field of canine rehabilitation, knowledge of muscle function in the therapeutic exercises prescribed is needed by physical therapists and veterinary surgeons. To gain insight into the function of longissimus dorsi (LD) and gluteus medius (GM) muscles in dogs, five Greyhounds performing leash walking and trotting on the ground flat, up (+7%), and downhill (-7%) were studied by surface electromyography, and the mean and maximum activity was compared. For the same incline, the surface electromyography (sEMG) of LD was higher ( < 0.

Validation of a new objective index to measure spinal mobility: the University of Cordoba Ankylosing Spondylitis Metrology Index (UCOASMI).

Spinal mobility measures are subject to high variability and subjectivity. Automated motion capture allows an objective and quantitative measure of mobility with high levels of precision. To validate the University of Cordoba Ankylosing Spondylitis Metrology Index (UCOASMI), an index measure of spinal mobility, based on automated motion capture, validation studies included the following: (1) validity, tested by correlation--Pearson's r--between the UCOASMI and the mobility index Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Metrology Index (BASMI), and a measure of structural damage, the modified Stoke Ankylosing Spondylitis Spinal Score (mSASSS); (2) reliability, with internal consistency tested by Cronbach's alpha, test-retest by intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) after 2 weeks, and error measurement, by variation coefficient (VC) and smallest detectable difference (SDD); and (3) responsiveness, by effect size (ES) in a clinical trial of anti-TNF.

Assessment of spinal mobility in ankylosing spondylitis using a video-based motion capture system.

This paper describes the use of a video-based motion capture system to assess spinal mobility in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). The aim of the study is to assess reliability of the system comparing it with conventional metrology in order to define and analyze new measurements that reflect better spinal mobility. A motion capture system (UCOTrack) was used to measure spinal mobility in forty AS patients and twenty healthy subjects with a marker set defining 33 3D measurements, some already being used in conventional metrology.

Design and evaluation of a new three-dimensional motion capture system based on video.

This technical note describes the development and evaluation of a low-cost motion capture and analysis system (SOMCAM3D). From diverse video sequences obtained by commercial cameras, synchronized by a certain event, and calibrated from a calibration process, the system is able to reconstruct three-dimensional positions in a reference system defined by the calibration process. From these positions, a wide variety of kinematic variables could be calculated.

Intracranial portion of the trochlear nerve and dorsal oblique muscle composition in dog: a structural and ultrastructural study.

In the present investigation the right intracranial portion of the trochlear nerves and dorsal oblique muscle of the right ocular globe were removed from six adult dogs and analyzed by light and electron microscopy. Unmyelinated fibers were observed in the analyzed nerves. The number, diameter, area, and density of myelinated fibers were determined, as were corresponding axon area and diameter and myelin sheath thickness.