Effect of Ground and Raised Poles on Kinematics of the Walk.
Authors: Walker Vicki A, Tranquillle Carolyne A, MacKechnie-Guire Russell, Spear Jo, Newton Richard, Murray Rachel C
Journal: Journal of equine veterinary science
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Ground and Raised Poles and Equine Walk Kinematics Researchers from the Royal Veterinary College investigated how ground poles and raised poles influence joint movement patterns during in-hand walking, addressing a gap in understanding this widely-used training and rehabilitation method. Using two-dimensional motion capture and inertial measurement units, they tracked 41 horses walking over no poles, ground poles (10 cm height) and raised poles (26 cm height) in a crossover design, measuring both limb joint angles and spinal/pelvic segment movement. Raised poles produced the greatest effect on limb kinematics, significantly increasing swing-phase flexion compared to walking without poles, whilst ground poles elicited a smaller but still meaningful response; notably, the spine and pelvis showed reduced front-to-back motion over both pole heights but increased side-to-side mobility, particularly at the croup. These findings validate pole work as an effective tool for increasing lower limb joint range of motion during rehabilitation, though practitioners should recognise that the specific benefits observed were dependent on the 10 cm and 26 cm pole heights tested, and that spinal stability is maintained (rather than increased) through this work rather than enhanced.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Pole work effectively increases joint flexion during the swing phase, supporting its use in rehabilitation and conditioning programs without excessive vertical trunk movement
- •Raised poles (26 cm) produce greater kinematic changes than ground poles (10 cm), but practitioners should verify findings apply to their specific pole configurations
- •The reduced craniocaudal trunk motion combined with increased limb flexion suggests poles encourage more engaged, controlled movement patterns suitable for rehabilitation
Key Findings
- •Walking over poles increased limb joint range of motion compared to no poles, with greater effect over raised poles (26 cm) than ground poles (10 cm)
- •Raised poles increased mid-swing flexion without increasing vertical trunk excursion compared to normal walking
- •Craniocaudal range of motion of wither, tuber coxae, and tuber sacrale significantly decreased over both ground and raised poles
- •Mediolateral range of motion of tuber coxae and tuber sacrale increased over poles, with greatest effect over raised poles