Pelvic limb joint motion increases with treadmill walking speed in healthy Beagles

To determine the effects of 4 fixed treadmill walking speeds on sagittal-plane pelvic limb joint motion in healthy Beagles and to provide speed-stratified descriptive kinematic values for interpreting treadmill-based canine gait assessments.

8 healthy Beagles underwent 3-D motion analysis during treadmill walking at 1.1 km/h (0.31 m/s), 1.8 km/h (0.50 m/s), 2.5 km/h (0.69 m/s), and 3.2 km/h (0.89 m/s). For each dog at each speed, 10 gait cycles were time normalized and averaged to generate representative waveforms. Peak extension angle, peak flexion angle, and range of motion (ROM) were calculated for the hip, stifle, and tarsus. Linear mixed-effects models were used to assess speed-related changes. Only walk trials were analyzed; for 1 dog, the 3.2 km/h (0.89 m/s) trial was excluded after gait classification identified trot.

ROM increased with speed in all 3 joints. For every 1-km/h (0.28 m/s) increase in speed, ROM increased by 6.11° (95% CI, 5.37 to 6.86) at the hip, 5.37° (95% CI, 4.17 to 6.56) at the stifle, and 3.66° (95% CI, 2.41 to 4.90) at the tarsus. At the hip and stifle, the increase in ROM reflected increased peak extension and decreased peak flexion, whereas at the tarsus, it was associated mainly with a decrease in peak flexion angle.

Faster treadmill walking was associated with greater pelvic limb ROM in healthy Beagles, with joint-specific patterns of change.

Walking speed should be standardized or accounted for when interpreting treadmill-derived ROM in canine gait analysis or rehabilitation follow-up.