A comparison of equine hindlimb muscle activation and joint motion between forward and backward walking

Fleur Eldridge; Lindsay St. George; Melanie Chapman; Lynne Harrison; Gillian Tabor; Charlotte Uttley; Hilary Clayton

doi:10.1016/j.eqre.2025.100036

A comparison of equine hindlimb muscle activation and joint motion between forward and backward walking

Fleur Eldridge, Lindsay St. George, Melanie Chapman, Lynne Harrison, Gillian Tabor, Charlotte Uttley, Hilary Clayton

Equine Department

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal Article › peer-review

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Abstract

Backward walking (BW) is commonly employed as a physiotherapeutic exercise for horses based on anecdotal evidence for improving hindlimb strength, coordination, and range of motion. However, limited scientific evidence supports these assumed benefits. This study aimed to measure and compare equine hindlimb muscle activity and movement during BW and forward walking (FW). Three-dimensional kinematic and surface electromyography (sEMG) data were synchronously collected from unilateral (left) hindlimb and hip extensor (biceps femoris and gluteus medius) and flexor (tensor fasciae latae) muscles of ten horses during FW and BW. Normalised average rectified value (ARV), peak amplitude (PA), and muscle activity duration were calculated from sEMG data. Spatiotemporal and angular parameters were calculated from kinematic data. Wilcoxon signed rank tests or paired t-tests assessed differences between FW and BW. Compared to FW, significant (p 

Original language	English
Article number	100036
Journal	Journal of Equine Rehabilitation
Volume	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eqre.2025.100036 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eqre.2025.100036
Publication status	Published - 8 Aug 2025

Keywords

Surface electromyography
Kinematics
Horse
Veterinary physiotherapy
Rehabilitation

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10.1016/j.eqre.2025.100036Licence: CC BY
10.1016/j.eqre.2025.100036Licence: CC BY

1-s2.0-S2949905425000180-mainFinal published version, 3.71 MBLicence: CC BY
1-s2.0-S2949905425000180-main (1)Final published version, 3.71 MBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

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title = "A comparison of equine hindlimb muscle activation and joint motion between forward and backward walking",

abstract = "Backward walking (BW) is commonly employed as a physiotherapeutic exercise for horses based on anecdotal evidence for improving hindlimb strength, coordination, and range of motion. However, limited scientific evidence supports these assumed benefits. This study aimed to measure and compare equine hindlimb muscle activity and movement during BW and forward walking (FW). Three-dimensional kinematic and surface electromyography (sEMG) data were synchronously collected from unilateral (left) hindlimb and hip extensor (biceps femoris and gluteus medius) and flexor (tensor fasciae latae) muscles of ten horses during FW and BW. Normalised average rectified value (ARV), peak amplitude (PA), and muscle activity duration were calculated from sEMG data. Spatiotemporal and angular parameters were calculated from kinematic data. Wilcoxon signed rank tests or paired t-tests assessed differences between FW and BW. Compared to FW, significant (p ",

keywords = "Surface electromyography, Kinematics, Horse, Veterinary physiotherapy, Rehabilitation",

author = "Fleur Eldridge and George, \{Lindsay St.\} and Melanie Chapman and Lynne Harrison and Gillian Tabor and Charlotte Uttley and Hilary Clayton",

year = "2025",

month = aug,

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doi = "10.1016/j.eqre.2025.100036",

language = "English",

volume = "3",

journal = "Journal of Equine Rehabilitation",

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AU - Eldridge, Fleur

AU - George, Lindsay St.

AU - Chapman, Melanie

AU - Harrison, Lynne

AU - Tabor, Gillian

AU - Uttley, Charlotte

AU - Clayton, Hilary

PY - 2025/8/8

Y1 - 2025/8/8

N2 - Backward walking (BW) is commonly employed as a physiotherapeutic exercise for horses based on anecdotal evidence for improving hindlimb strength, coordination, and range of motion. However, limited scientific evidence supports these assumed benefits. This study aimed to measure and compare equine hindlimb muscle activity and movement during BW and forward walking (FW). Three-dimensional kinematic and surface electromyography (sEMG) data were synchronously collected from unilateral (left) hindlimb and hip extensor (biceps femoris and gluteus medius) and flexor (tensor fasciae latae) muscles of ten horses during FW and BW. Normalised average rectified value (ARV), peak amplitude (PA), and muscle activity duration were calculated from sEMG data. Spatiotemporal and angular parameters were calculated from kinematic data. Wilcoxon signed rank tests or paired t-tests assessed differences between FW and BW. Compared to FW, significant (p 

AB - Backward walking (BW) is commonly employed as a physiotherapeutic exercise for horses based on anecdotal evidence for improving hindlimb strength, coordination, and range of motion. However, limited scientific evidence supports these assumed benefits. This study aimed to measure and compare equine hindlimb muscle activity and movement during BW and forward walking (FW). Three-dimensional kinematic and surface electromyography (sEMG) data were synchronously collected from unilateral (left) hindlimb and hip extensor (biceps femoris and gluteus medius) and flexor (tensor fasciae latae) muscles of ten horses during FW and BW. Normalised average rectified value (ARV), peak amplitude (PA), and muscle activity duration were calculated from sEMG data. Spatiotemporal and angular parameters were calculated from kinematic data. Wilcoxon signed rank tests or paired t-tests assessed differences between FW and BW. Compared to FW, significant (p 

KW - Surface electromyography

KW - Kinematics

KW - Horse

KW - Veterinary physiotherapy

KW - Rehabilitation

U2 - 10.1016/j.eqre.2025.100036

DO - 10.1016/j.eqre.2025.100036

M3 - Journal Article

SN - 2949-9054

VL - 3

JO - Journal of Equine Rehabilitation

JF - Journal of Equine Rehabilitation

M1 - 100036

ER -

A comparison of equine hindlimb muscle activation and joint motion between forward and backward walking

Abstract

Keywords

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