Abstract:
BACKGROUND: Equine water treadmills (WTs) are growing in popularity because they are believed to allow for high resistance, low impact exercise. However, little is known about the effect of water height on limb loading. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of water height and speed on segmental acceleration and impact attenuation during WT exercise in horses. Three uniaxial accelerometers (sampling rate: 2500 Hz) were secured on the left forelimb (hoof, mid-cannon, mid-radius). Horses walked at two speeds (S1: 0.83 m/s, S2: 1.39 m/s) and three water heights (mid-cannon, carpus, stifle), with a dry WT control. Peak acceleration of each segment was averaged over five strides, attenuation was calculated, and stride frequency was estimated by the time between successive hoof contacts. Linear mixed effects models were used to examine the effects of water height, speed, and accelerometer location on peak acceleration, attenuation and stride frequency (p < 0.05).
RESULTS: Peak acceleration at all locations was lower with water of any height compared to the dry control (p < 0.0001). Acceleration was reduced with water at the height of the stifle compared to mid-cannon water height (p = 0.02). Water at the height of the stifle attenuated more impact than water at the height of the cannon (p = 0.0001).
CONCLUSIONS: Water immersion during treadmill exercise reduced segmental accelerations and increased attenuation in horses. WT exercise may be beneficial in the rehabilitation of lower limb injuries in horses.
摘要:
背景:马水跑步机(WTs)越来越受欢迎,因为它们被认为具有高抵抗力,低冲击运动。然而,关于水高度对肢体负载的影响知之甚少。这项研究的目的是评估水高度和速度对马在WT运动过程中的节段加速度和冲击衰减的影响。三个单轴加速度计(采样率:2500Hz)固定在左前肢(蹄,中炮,中半径)。马以两种速度行走(S1:0.83m/s,S2:1.39m/s)和三个水高(中炮,carpus,窒息),与干WT控制。每段的峰值加速度在五个步幅上平均,计算了衰减,跨步频率是通过连续蹄部接触之间的时间来估计的。线性混合效应模型用于检查水高的影响,速度,和峰值加速度上的加速度计位置,衰减和步频(p<0.05)。
结果:与干燥对照相比,任何高度的水在所有位置的峰值加速度均较低(p<0.0001)。与中高炮水高度相比,水的加速度降低了(p=0.02)。窒息高度的水比加农炮高度的水减弱了更多的冲击(p=0.0001)。
结论:跑步机运动过程中的水浸减少了马的节段加速度和衰减增加。WT运动可能有益于马下肢损伤的康复。