title: Surface Electromyography of the Vastus Lateralis, Biceps Femoris, and Gluteus Medius Muscle in Sound Dogs During Walking and Specific Physiotherapeutic Exercises.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the muscle activity patterns of the vastus lateralis (VL), biceps femoris (BF), and gluteus medius (GM) during walking and specific physiotherapeutic exercises in clinically sound, healthy dogs without lameness.
  
  
  METHODS
  Observational study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinically sound dogs (n = 10).
  
  
  METHODS
  Surface electromyography was performed during walking and exercises (11% incline and decline, walking over cavaletti) within a defined study area. The maximal, minimal, and mean muscle potentials reflecting activity during each motion cycle were compared among the exercises.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During swing phase, maximal VL activity was higher during cavaletti walking compared with walking over ground or incline. Cavaletti walking had an earlier occurrence of the maximum VL activity than did walking over ground or decline. Compared with walking over ground, incline walking had higher minimal GM activity during the 1st half of stance phase and an earlier occurrence of maximal activity during the 2nd half of stance phase. Cavaletti walking had earlier maximal GM activity in swing phase than did walking over ground. Differences between decline and incline walking were seen in all 3 phases of the motion cycle; namely, higher minimal and mean activities occurred during incline walking, and higher maximum activity occurred in the 1st half of stance phase during incline walking. Compared with decline walking, cavaletti walking showed higher minimal and mean activities in the 2nd half of stance phase and higher maximal and mean activities in swing phase.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cavaletti and incline walking exercises increases the VL and GM muscle activity.
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Small Animal Surgery, Department for Companion Animals and Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Katharina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Breitfuss
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Small Animal Surgery, Department for Companion Animals and Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Michaela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Franz
authors.affiliation: Movement Science Group Vienna, Department for Companion Animals and Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Peham
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Small Animal Surgery, Department for Companion Animals and Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bockstahler
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004285:Dogs / Q000502:physiology*; D004576:Electromyography / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology*; D006614:Hindlimb / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*