CCAT Gait Analysis and Locomotion 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When observing a dog from behind during gait analysis, excessive medial paw placement ('toeing in') of the hind limbs most likely suggests:
- Hip flexor tightness
- Coxa vara or internal rotation of the femur (Correct answer)
- Hyperextension of the stifle
- Weakness of the tibialis anterior
Correct answer: Coxa vara or internal rotation of the femur
Medial paw placement (toe-in) in the hind limbs is associated with coxa vara or femoral internal rotation causing the paw to deviate inward.
Question 2: Which rehabilitation tool provides objective, repeatable kinetic data about limb loading during gait?
- Goniometer
- Pressure-sensitive walkway or force plate (Correct answer)
- Inclinometer
- Tape measure
Correct answer: Pressure-sensitive walkway or force plate
Pressure-sensitive walkways and force plates measure ground reaction forces, providing objective kinetic data on limb loading during gait.
Question 3: A dog recovering from a tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO) begins weight-bearing on the operated limb at week 2. What gait parameter would you prioritize assessing at this stage?
- Maximum running velocity
- Symmetry of stance time between operated and non-operated limbs (Correct answer)
- Joint excursion during gallop
- Cadence during trotting on a treadmill
Correct answer: Symmetry of stance time between operated and non-operated limbs
Stance time symmetry between limbs is the most clinically relevant early post-operative gait parameter, indicating functional weight-bearing recovery.
Question 4: What is 'ataxia' as it relates to gait in companion animals?
- Increased muscle tone causing stiff movement
- Loss of voluntary coordination resulting in unsteady, incoordinated gait (Correct answer)
- Paralysis of a single limb
- Exaggerated flexion of all limbs during gait
Correct answer: Loss of voluntary coordination resulting in unsteady, incoordinated gait
Ataxia describes incoordinated, unsteady gait caused by disruptions in the nervous system pathways responsible for proprioception and motor control.
Question 5: Which finding during underwater treadmill gait analysis indicates improved neurological function in a dog with spinal cord injury?
- Increased body weight support needed from therapist
- Voluntary rhythmic stepping without continuous support (Correct answer)
- Increased drag on the hind limbs
- Reduced water temperature tolerance
Correct answer: Voluntary rhythmic stepping without continuous support
Voluntary rhythmic stepping without continuous therapist support indicates that motor pathways are recovering and the animal can generate coordinated movement.
Question 6: In gait analysis, 'stride length' is defined as the distance between:
- Consecutive footfalls of the same limb (Correct answer)
- Footfalls of the left and right limbs of the same pair
- The beginning and end of the swing phase
- Two consecutive heel strikes of any limb
Correct answer: Consecutive footfalls of the same limb
Stride length is measured from one footfall of a specific limb to the next footfall of that same limb, encompassing one complete gait cycle.
Question 7: A therapist notices a dog lifts its head upward when the right forelimb is in stance phase. This 'head bobbing' pattern is a classic sign of:
- Right forelimb lameness (Correct answer)
- Left forelimb lameness
- Bilateral hind limb weakness
- Normal variation in trotting gait
Correct answer: Right forelimb lameness
Dogs with forelimb lameness raise their head when the lame limb contacts the ground to offload it, and lower their head when the sound limb bears weight.
CCAT Gait Analysis and Locomotion 5
When observing a dog from behind during gait analysis, excessive medial paw placement ('toeing in') of the hind limbs most likely suggests: