Bilateral Change in Vertical Hoof Force Distribution in Horses with Unilateral Forelimb Lameness before and after Successful Diagnostic Anaesthesia.
Authors: Hoffmann Johanna R, Geburek Florian, Hagen Jenny, Büttner Kathrin, Cruz Antonio M, Röcken Michael
Journal: Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
Summary
# Editorial Summary Diagnostic anaesthesia is routinely used to identify the anatomical source of lameness, yet few studies have quantified how pain relief affects weight-bearing dynamics across different phases of stance. Researchers examined 14 horses with unilateral forelimb lameness using pressure-sensitive hoof plates (Hoof™ System) during trot, measuring vertical force distribution in both front feet before and after perineural anaesthesia at three distinct moments: landing, midstance, and breakover. Before anaesthesia, the lame limb bore significantly less load than the sound limb—25% less during landing, 20% less during midstance, and 27% less during breakover (all p <0.001)—but these asymmetries resolved completely following successful diagnostic anaesthesia, with the previously lame limb showing the most dramatic improvement at breakover (+27%, p = 0.001). The findings validate pressure plate analysis as an objective clinical tool for confirming pain-related lameness and demonstrate that breakover represents the phase most compromised by pain, which has clear implications for farriers managing trim and shoe design in lame horses. Since weight-bearing asymmetries normalise after targeted pain relief, this methodology could enhance diagnostic precision and help practitioners monitor rehabilitation progress quantitatively rather than relying solely on subjective gait assessment.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Diagnostic anaesthesia combined with pressure plate analysis provides objective confirmation of lameness resolution, helping pinpoint the pain source with precision
- •Breakover phase shows the most dramatic force changes in response to lameness and anaesthesia—pay special attention to this phase when assessing therapeutic response
- •Pressure plate technology offers a quantifiable alternative to subjective lameness grading and can document treatment efficacy for clients and case monitoring
Key Findings
- •Before diagnostic anaesthesia, vertical force was significantly reduced on the lame limb during landing (-25%), midstance (-20%), and breakover (-27%) compared to the sound limb
- •After successful diagnostic anaesthesia, the significant difference in vertical force distribution between lame and sound forelimbs was eliminated across all stance phases
- •Vertical force on the lame limb increased significantly after anaesthesia, with breakover phase showing the greatest increase (+27%)
- •The Hoof™ System pressure measurements can effectively quantify pain-related force asymmetries and their resolution following diagnostic anaesthesia