Reliability of sEMG Measures for Equine Muscles during Overground Trot

What is it about?

The study aimed to evaluate the intra- and inter-session reliability of surface electromyography (sEMG) activity profiles in eight non-lame horses during in-hand trot. Within-session reliability was assessed by comparing the ensemble average sEMG profiles across strides for each muscle within a test session for individual horses. Inter-session reliability was assessed by comparing the ensemble average sEMG profiles across strides for each muscle between two test sessions with a minimum 24-hour interval. The results showed that intra-subject sEMG profiles within-and between-sessions were less variable than inter-subject profiles. The between-session reliability was assessed using the adjusted coefficient of multiple correlation (CMC) and found that 11 of 14 studied muscles showed excellent between-session reliability, with the remaining three muscles showing good reliability across the group of horses. Overall, the study suggests that reliable sEMG activity profiles can describe fundamental muscle activity patterns for selected equine muscles within a test session for individual horses, and that these profiles are more variable between horses and test sessions. [Some of the content on this page has been created by AI]

Featured Image

Why is it important?

The study provides the first comprehensive evaluation of the reliability of surface electromyography (sEMG) profiles in equine muscles during in-hand trot, which is crucial for determining the usefulness of sEMG in clinical gait analysis. The results offer insights into the variability of sEMG profiles within and between individual horses, test sessions, and different muscles, which can guide future research and the application of sEMG in clinical settings. Understanding the reliability of sEMG is essential for assessing treatment or intervention effects and aiding clinical diagnoses and monitoring of treatment techniques for horses. Key Takeaways: 1. Within-session sEMG profiles are more reliable than between-session or inter-subject profiles, which suggests that sEMG can be used to monitor the intra-individual activity of these muscles across multiple gait evaluation sessions. 2. The study found excellent or good between-session reliability for most of the studied muscles, which indicates that sEMG can be used to objectively monitor the activity of these muscles across multiple test sessions. 3. The study highlights the need for future research to explore and validate normative sEMG profiles for equine gait, which can be used as a reference to aid clinical decision-making for detecting and monitoring gait abnormalities in horses.