Effects of subject stance time and velocity on ground reaction forces in clinically normal Greyhounds at the trot

Abstract

Summary Force plate gait analysis was used to study the effects of subject stance time and velocity on ground reaction forces in 6 adult Greyhounds at the trot. Data for 210 valid trials were obtained. Stance time negatively correlated with velocity (r = −0.85 for the forelimbs, r = −0.61 for the hind limbs), decreasing as velocity increased. Stance time in the forelimbs and hind limbs correlated more closely with changes in vertical peak force and impulse than did velocity. The trials were divided into 3 distinct velocity ranges (V1 = 1.5 to 1.8 m/s, V2 = 2.1 to 2.4 m/s, and V3 = 2.7 to 3.0 m/s), 3 distinct forelimb stance time ranges (fst1 = 0.144 to 0.176 second, fst2 = 0.185 to 0.217 second, and fst3 = 0.225 to 0.258 second), and 3 distinct hind limb stance time ranges (hst1 = 0.105 to 0.132 second, hst2 = 0.139 to 0.165 second, and hst3 = 0.172 to 0.198 second). Peak forces increased as velocity increased and decreased as stance time increased. Vertical impulse decreased as velocity increased and increased as stance time increased. The relation between stance time, subject velocity, and ground reaction forces was documented for clinically normal Greyhounds at the trot. Changes in stance time accurately reflected changes in subject velocity and ground reaction forces in clinically normal dogs and could be used to normalize trial data within a sampling period.