Mary Anne McPhail Equine Performance Center, Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, USA.
Equine Vet J. 2010 Apr;42(3):227-33. doi: 10.2746/042516409X478505.
Lightweight tactile stimulators attached to the hind pasterns increase the height of the hind hoof flight arc but details of the induced changes in swing phase kinematics and kinetics have not been investigated.
Stimulators on the hind pasterns are associated with increased hindlimb joint flexions and increased positive work performed by the hip and tarsal musculature.
Nine nonlame horses trotted 4 times with and without 55 g tactile stimulators loosely attached around the hind pasterns. Height of the flight arc and peak flexion angles of the hindlimb joints were measured and net positive and negative work performed across each joint during the swing phase were calculated using inverse dynamics analysis and compared across paired conditions.
Speed and stride duration did not change but stimulators were associated with a reduction in hind stance duration. The flight arc was higher with stimulators due to increased flexions of the stifle, tarsal, metatarsophalangeal and distal interphalangeal joints. Positive work increased in the tarsal musculature, but not in the hip musculature, and negative work increased across the stifle, metatarsophalangeal and distal interphalangeal joints.
The effects of tactile stimulation of the hind pasterns on joint motion and muscle activation may be used in physiotherapy and rehabilitation to restore or increase flexion of the hindlimb joints with the exception of the hip joint. The ability to stimulate concentric activity of the tarsal musculature may have therapeutic applications in conditions such as toe dragging.
附着在后跗骨上的轻便触觉刺激器可增加后蹄的飞行弧高度，但尚未研究其对摆动相运动学和动力学的诱导变化的细节。
跗骨上的刺激器与后肢关节的更大弯曲度以及髋关节和跗骨肌肉的正功增加有关。
9 匹非跛行马在有和没有 55 克触觉刺激器的情况下，以松散的方式围绕后跗骨各进行了 4 次小跑。测量了飞行弧的高度和后肢关节的最大弯曲角度，并使用逆动力学分析计算了在摆动相中每个关节的净正功和负功，并在配对条件下进行了比较。
速度和步幅时间没有变化，但刺激器与后肢支撑时间缩短有关。由于膝关节、跗关节、跖趾关节和远指间关节的弯曲度增加，飞行弧更高。跗骨肌肉的正功增加，但髋关节肌肉的正功没有增加，并且膝关节、跖趾关节和远指间关节的负功增加。
后跗骨触觉刺激对关节运动和肌肉激活的影响可用于物理治疗和康复，以恢复或增加后肢关节的弯曲度，但髋关节除外。刺激跗骨肌肉的向心活动的能力可能在脚趾拖地等疾病中具有治疗应用。
