CAC Gait Analysis and Locomotion Assessment 3

Question 1

Why is subjective gait observation performed at both a walk and a trot in veterinary chiropractic assessment?

Accepted Answer

Because the trot amplifies subtle asymmetries due to increased speed and diagonal limb coupling

Answer

The trot amplifies movement asymmetries due to increased speed and diagonal coupling, making subtle lamenesses and compensatory patterns more visible than at the slower walk.

Question 2

What does reduced thoracolumbar flexibility observed during locomotion assessment suggest in a chiropractic context?

Accepted Answer

Possible vertebral subluxation complex or restricted facet joint motion in that region

Answer

Reduced thoracolumbar flexibility during locomotion is a key indicator of vertebral subluxation complex, restricted facet joints, or paraspinal hypertonia warranting chiropractic evaluation.

Question 3

Which neurological test, performed during gait assessment, evaluates the integrity of conscious proprioceptive pathways in dogs?

Accepted Answer

Paw replacement (proprioceptive positioning) test

Answer

The paw replacement test assesses conscious proprioception by placing the paw in an abnormal position; delayed or absent correction indicates dysfunction of ascending proprioceptive pathways.

Question 4

What role does proprioception play in normal animal locomotion?

Accepted Answer

It provides real-time sensory feedback about limb position and movement to enable coordinated gait

Answer

Proprioception delivers continuous sensory feedback from joints, muscles, and tendons to the CNS about limb position and movement, which is essential for coordinated and balanced locomotion.

Question 5

In horses, a consistent 'hip hike' (elevation of one tuber coxae) during trotting most commonly indicates dysfunction in which region?

Accepted Answer

Sacroiliac joint or lumbosacral region on the ipsilateral side

Answer

A consistent hip hike during trotting, where one tuber coxae elevates more than the other, is a classic clinical sign of sacroiliac joint dysfunction or lumbosacral pain on the same side.

(CAC) Certified Veterinary Chiropractor Practice Test

(CAC) Certified Veterinary Chiropractor Practice Test

CAC Gait Analysis and Locomotion Assessment 3