Horizontal moment around the hoof's centre of pressure during walking in a straight line.
Authors: Colborne G R, Heaps L A, Franklin S H
Journal: Equine veterinary journal
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Horizontal Moment Around the Hoof's Centre of Pressure During Walking The distal limb joints must resist rotational forces in the transverse plane during weight-bearing, yet the magnitude and direction of these twisting moments have remained poorly characterised until now. Colborne and colleagues used force platform analysis during straight-line walk to quantify the horizontal moments generated around the hoof's centre of pressure in nine sound Thoroughbreds, measuring the rotational forces in both the transverse and cranio-caudal planes across multiple trials. Hindlimbs demonstrated consistent mechanical symmetry, generating internal (inward) rotational moments of approximately 14 Nm during early stance as the limb retracted, whilst forelimbs showed marked asymmetry in 7 out of 9 horses—the left forelimb producing internal moments (~7 Nm) and the right producing external (outward) moments (~8 Nm). These findings indicate that extrasagittal (non-sagittal plane) joint motions, including carpal and tarsal rotations, differ between left and right forelimbs in most horses, challenging assumptions of bilateral symmetry in distal limb biomechanics and suggesting that lameness assessments, rehabilitation protocols, and farriery interventions must account for inherent differences in how individual limbs manage rotational loading during stance.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Forelimbs naturally experience asymmetric twisting forces during walk in most horses—unilateral lameness or joint disease may be related to disrupted moment patterns rather than just load distribution
- •Hindlimbs show mechanical symmetry and consistent internal moments during retraction; asymmetric hindlimb movement may warrant investigation for pathology
- •Individual variation in horizontal moments is substantial, suggesting standardized diagnostic or therapeutic approaches may need to account for each horse's unique biomechanical signature
Key Findings
- •Hindlimbs demonstrated symmetric biphasic moment patterns with internal moments (L: 14.1±4.6 Nm; R: 13.3±5.5 Nm) during stance, with largest moments in first half of stance phase
- •Forelimbs showed asymmetric horizontal moments in 7/9 horses, with left forelimb exerting internal moment (6.9±2.9 Nm) and right forelimb exerting external moment (8.4±4.4 Nm)
- •Moment patterns were consistent within individual limbs and horses but variable between horses
- •Extrasagittal joint motions in forelimbs are likely asymmetric, suggesting bilateral variations in distal limb mechanics during walking