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. 2024 Dec;26(12):1098612X241297894.
doi: 10.1177/1098612X241297894.

Measurement of ground reaction forces in cats after total hip replacement

Gregor Schweng  1 , Barbara Bockstahler  2 , Alexander Tichy  3 , Klaus Zahn  4 , Georg Haimel  5 , Günter Schwarz  6 , Eva Schnabl-Feichter  1
Affiliations

Measurement of ground reaction forces in cats after total hip replacement

Gregor Schweng et al. J Feline Med Surg. 2024 Dec.

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate ground reaction forces (GRFs) in cats after unilateral total hip replacement (THR) and compare them with cats after femoral head and neck ostectomy (FHO).

Methods: The databases of the Small Animal Clinic of the Veterinary University in Vienna and three referral clinics were searched for cats that had undergone unilateral THR with the BioMedtrix Micro total hip system or FHO more than 6 months previously. Owners were invited to complete a survey and bring their cats for re-examination, inlcuding clinical and orthopaedic examinations, hip radiography and a gait analysis using a pressure-sensitive plate.

Results: Nine cats were included in each group. Cats after THR showed larger GRF values (peak vertical force [PFz] and vertical impulse [IFz] normalised to total force [%TF]) on the operated limb. The resulting symmetry indices (SIs) were lower in terms of vertical force in 7/9 (78%) cats and vertical impulse in 6/9 (67%) cats between the hindlimbs in cats after THR compared with FHO - SI (PFz) = 3.31% ± 2.19% (THR) vs 4.84% ± 2.99% (FHO) and SI (IFz) = 5.17% ± 3.66% (THR) vs 8.27% ± 3.12% (FHO). Cats after FHO showed significantly lower muscle circumference and range of motion (ROM) at the operated hindlimb compared with the contralateral side, whereas cats after THR showed no statistically significant differences between their hindlimbs. Owner surveys revealed significant differences in their subjective assessment of activity and change in gait between the two groups, with better values for cats after THR.

Conclusions and relevance: This was the first study that measured GRFs in cats after THR. PFz (%TF) and IFz (%TF) values were higher in the operated limb of the THR group than in those of the FHO group, resulting in lower symmetry indices (indicating better symmetry) and better loading of the corresponding hindlimb. This finding is clinically relevant and can help in making decisions regarding the treatment of hip joint pathologies in cats.

Keywords: Total hip replacement; femoral head ostectomy; gait analysis; ground reaction forces; hip arthroplasty; pressure-sensitive plate.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interestThe authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flowchart of the chronology of acquiring cats for re-examinations. FHO = femoral head and neck ostectomy; THR = total hip replacement
Figure 2
Figure 2
GRFs (peak vertical force [PFz] and vertical impulse [IFz] normalised to total force [%TF]) of the FHO and THR groups. The solid line within the box represents the median, the lower and upper limits of the box represent the interquartile (25th and 75th percentiles) range, respectively; the whiskers delimit the range. Values observed more than 1.5 times of the IQR below the first quartile (Q1) or above the third quartile (Q3) are marked as a circle. Values more than three times the IQR below Q1 or above Q3 are marked with an asterisk. FHO = femoral head and neck ostectomy; FL-CL = contralateral forelimb; FL-IPS = ipsilateral forelimb; GRF = ground reaction force; HL-CL = contralateral; HL-THR/FHO = operated hindlimb; IQR = interquartile range; THR = total hip replacement
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