Zsoldos, Rebeka
- University of Queensland
Abstract
Electrical stimulation is commonly used as a modality for physical therapy in human and veterinary medicine. However, studies measuring the movement generated by electrical stimulation in horses are rare. The present study therefore evaluates the range of movement provoked by a commercially available physical therapy unit (FES310) and contrasts it with the movement generated by manually induced pelvic inclination (back rounding). Ten horses were tested on three measurement days over one week. Electrical stimulation was applied via a back treatment pad (belonging to the FES310 system) containing six electrodes (three on either side of the spine) placed over the lumbosacral region. This system produced a pulsed, biphasic electrical stimulation in a rectangular waveform which was gradually increased to a maximum of 10 volts. Before and after electrical stimulation testing, manual pelvic inclination was achieved by pressure on two points lateral to the root of the tail. Muscle tone and lameness were evaluated before and after treatments. Skinfold thickness, body condition score, and body mass were measured to detect possible confounding factors. Using kinematics, the angle ranges during movement of ten three-dimensional angles of the trunk, the pelvis, and the hind limbs were further analyzed. Movement was produced with manual stimulation in every tested individual on all measurement days and with electrical stimulation on at least one measurement day. The electrical stimulation led to significantly (P
Keywords
Electrical stimulation; Lumbosacral; Sacroiliac; Physical therapy; Pelvic inclination
Published in
Journal of Equine Veterinary Science
2020, volume: 91, article number: 103116
SLU Authors
UKÄ Subject classification
Medical Bioscience
Publication identifier
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2020.103116
Permanent link to this page (URI)
https://res.slu.se/id/publ/139525