Hall Hayley, Evans Richard B, Balogh Makayla, Gordon-Evans Wanda J
Veterinary Medical Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA.
Clinical and Translational Science Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55414, USA.
Animals (Basel). 2025 Jun 18;15(12):1790. doi: 10.3390/ani15121790.
Physiotherapy aims to improve postural dysfunction, often using balance exercises. The effects of rehabilitation-based balance exercises on postural control in dogs remains understudied. This study aimed to assess the impact of specific balancing exercises and blindfolding on center of pressure parameters in healthy dogs. Thirteen healthy adult dogs participated in the study. Center of pressure parameters were measured using a pressure platform during quiet standing, external perturbation, head turn, and blindfolded trials. External perturbation significantly increased the area of the elliptical sway, cranio-caudal excursion, and right-left excursion. Head turning led to large effect sizes, but no significant differences compared to quiet standing. Blindfolding led to medium to large effect sizes, though no significant differences were observed. The study confirmed that external perturbation challenges postural stability, resulting in increased sway. Head turning induces sway but may require further training or different methodologies for reliable outcomes. Blindfolding increased sway but was not statistically different. These findings underscore the potential use of perturbation-based exercises in canine rehabilitation to improve balance, while also highlighting the need for further studies to standardize balance challenges and explore the effects in dogs with orthopedic or neurological conditions.
物理治疗旨在改善姿势功能障碍，通常会采用平衡训练。基于康复的平衡训练对犬类姿势控制的影响仍未得到充分研究。本研究旨在评估特定平衡训练和蒙眼对健康犬压力中心参数的影响。13只健康成年犬参与了该研究。在安静站立、外部扰动、转头和蒙眼试验期间，使用压力平台测量压力中心参数。外部扰动显著增加了椭圆摆动面积、头尾偏移和左右偏移。转头导致较大的效应量，但与安静站立相比无显著差异。蒙眼导致中等至较大的效应量，尽管未观察到显著差异。该研究证实，外部扰动会挑战姿势稳定性，导致摆动增加。转头会诱发摆动，但可能需要进一步训练或采用不同方法才能获得可靠结果。蒙眼增加了摆动，但在统计学上无差异。这些发现强调了基于扰动的训练在犬类康复中用于改善平衡的潜在用途，同时也凸显了进一步研究以规范平衡挑战并探索其对患有骨科或神经疾病犬类的影响的必要性。
