Effect of meloxicam treatment on movement asymmetry in riding horses in training.
Authors: Persson-Sjodin, Hernlund, Pfau, Haubro Andersen, Holm Forsström, Rhodin
Journal: PloS one
Summary
# Editorial Summary Quantitative gait analysis increasingly detects movement asymmetries in ostensibly sound riding horses that match the magnitude of those seen in mildly lame animals, yet the clinical significance of these findings remains unclear. Persson-Sjodin and colleagues conducted a randomised, crossover trial in 66 horses exhibiting baseline asymmetries (head displacement >6 mm or pelvic displacement >3 mm per stride), treating them with either meloxicam or placebo for four days with a 14–16 day washout period, whilst measuring vertical displacement of head and pelvis using body-mounted accelerometers on both hard and soft surfaces. Surprisingly, meloxicam treatment produced no significant reduction in movement asymmetry across any measurement parameter (all p>0.30), suggesting that these subtle gait deviations are either normal biological variation between individuals or reflect structural/functional pathology that does not respond to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. For equine professionals, these findings challenge the assumption that subclinical movement asymmetries necessarily indicate pain-driven dysfunction amenable to pharmaceutical intervention, and highlight the need for more sophisticated diagnostic approaches—potentially incorporating imaging, proprioceptive assessment, or other modalities—to distinguish functionally relevant asymmetries from inconsequential variations before committing to treatment protocols.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Many riding horses perceived as sound show objective movement asymmetries similar to mildly lame horses—visual assessment alone is insufficient for detecting subtle gait abnormalities
- •A negative response to meloxicam does not rule out orthopaedic dysfunction; the asymmetry may relate to biomechanical, structural, or pain mechanisms unresponsive to anti-inflammatory treatment
- •Quantitative gait analysis using accelerometry reveals subclinical movement disorders missed by traditional lameness evaluation and may warrant investigation of underlying causes beyond NSAID-responsive inflammation
Key Findings
- •66 horses in training with movement asymmetries ≥6 mm (head) or ≥3 mm (pelvis) were treated with meloxicam or placebo in crossover design
- •Meloxicam treatment for 4 days did not significantly reduce movement asymmetry on hard or soft surfaces (all p>0.30)
- •Movement asymmetries of equal magnitude to mild clinical lameness were detected in horses perceived as sound by owners
- •Results question whether movement asymmetries represent biological variation or pain/dysfunction unresponsive to NSAIDs