The Immediate Effect of Pole Work and Kinesiotape on Engagement of Rectus Abdominis and Longissimus Dorsi Activity, Pelvic Symmetry, and Kinematics in Horses

Anna  Srutova; Hope Jameson; Roberta  Blake

doi:10.64292/ijes.221

Authors

Anna Srutova School of Agriculture, Animal and Environmental Sciences, Anglia Ruskin University, Writtle, Chelmsford, CM1 3RR, United Kingdom https://orcid.org/0009-0006-9706-6648
Hope Jameson School of Agriculture, Animal and Environmental Sciences, Anglia Ruskin University, Writtle, Chelmsford, CM1 3RR, United Kingdom https://orcid.org/0009-0002-9499-225X
Roberta Blake School of Agriculture, Animal and Environmental Sciences, Anglia Ruskin University, Writtle, Chelmsford, CM1 3RR, United Kingdom https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0037-5286

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.64292/ijes.221

Keywords:

Cavaletti, core, biomechanics, strengthening, taping

Abstract

This study investigated the acute effects of ground poles and abdominal kinesiotaping (KT) on rectus abdominis (RA) and longissimus dorsi (LD) muscle activity, pelvic symmetry, and selected kinematic variables in eleven horses trotting in hand. Four conditions were evaluated: control, poles, KT, and combined KT with poles. Surface electromyography quantified muscle activity, inertial sensors assessed pelvic symmetry, and two-dimensional video analysis measured limb protraction and lumbosacral (LS) angle. Peak RA activity was significantly greater during poles and poles with KT compared with KT alone (P ≤ 0.003), although average RA activity did not differ between conditions. LS angle was reduced during poles at forelimb midstance (P = 0.035) and at maximal hindlimb protraction (P ≤ 0.023). Hindlimb protraction decreased in pole conditions (P < 0.001). No significant effects were observed for LD activity or pelvic symmetry. These findings indicate that pole exercise influences abdominal muscle activation and lumbosacral kinematics during trot. Kinesiotaping alone did not significantly alter muscle activity or kinematics. The magnitude and clinical relevance of observed changes were modest, and the potential influence of speed cannot be excluded. Further controlled studies incorporating three-dimensional kinematics and velocity measurement are warranted

References

Zsoldos RR, Kotschwar A, Kotschwar AB, Rodriguez CP, Peham C, Licka T. Activity of the equine rectus abdominis and oblique external abdominal muscles measured by surface EMG during walk and trot on the treadmill. Equine Veterinary Journal 2010;42:523–9. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-3306.2010.00230.x.

Stubbs NC, Kaiser LJ, Hauptman J, Clayton HM. Dynamic mobilisation exercises increase cross sectional area of musculus multifidus. Equine Veterinary Journal 2011;43:522–9. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-3306.2010.00322.x.

Robert C, Valette JP, Denoix J -M. The effects of treadmill inclination and speed on the activity of three trunk muscles in the trotting horse. Equine Veterinary Journal 2001;33:466–72. https://doi.org/10.2746/042516401776254745.

Robert C, Valette JP, Denoix JM. The effects of treadmill inclination and speed on the activity of two hindlimb muscles in the trotting horse. Equine Veterinary Journal 2000;32:312–7. https://doi.org/10.2746/042516400777032246.

Johnson JL, Moore-Colyer M. The relationship between range of motion of lumbosacral flexion-extension and canter velocity of horses on a treadmill. Equine Veterinary Journal 2009;41:301–3. https://doi.org/10.2746/042516409x397271.

Audigié F, Pourcelot P, Degueurce C, Denoix JM, Geiger D. Kinematics of the equine back: flexion-extension movements in sound trotting horses. Equine Veterinary Journal 1999;31:210–3. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-3306.1999.tb05219.x.

Barsanti RR, Fonseca BPA, Silvatti AP, Simonato SP, Pereira VG, Martins NA, et al. Descriptive electromyography signals analysis of equine longissimus dorsi, rectus abdominis and gluteus medius muscles during maneuvers used to activate the core. Arquivo Brasileiro de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia 2021;73:843–52. https://doi.org/10.1590/1678-4162-12141.

Tabor G, Williams J. Equine rehabilitation: A review of trunk and hind limb muscle activity and exercise selection. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science 2018;60:97-103.e3. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2017.03.003.

McGowan C, Goff L, Stubbs N. Animal Physiotherapy: Assessment, treatment and rehabilitation of animals. Oxford, UK: Wiley; 2007.

Cottriall S, Ritruechai P, Wakeling JM. The effects of training aids on the longissimus dorsi in the equine back. Comparative Exercise Physiology 2008;5:111. https://doi.org/10.1017/s1478061509342346.

Williams J. Equine training aids: can they really improve performance? UK-Vet Equine 2020;4:196–200. https://doi.org/10.12968/ukve.2020.4.6.196.

Shaw K, Ursini T, Levine D, Richards J, Adair S. The effect of ground poles and elastic resistance bands on longissimus dorsi and rectus abdominus muscle activity during equine walk and trot. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science 2021;107:103772. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2021.103772.

Wakeling JM, Ritruechai P, Dalton S, Nankervis K. Segmental variation in the activity and function of the equine longissimus dorsi muscle during walk and trot. Equine and Comparative Exercise Physiology 2007;4:95–103. https://doi.org/10.1017/s1478061507812126.

Brown S, Tabor G, Williams J. The effect of trot pole exercise on rectus abdominus activity in the horse. Journal of Veterinary Behavior 2019;29:155. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jveb.2018.06.031.

Ericson C, Stenfeldt P, Hardeman A, Jacobson I. The effect of kinesiotape on flexion-extension of the thoracolumbar back in horses at trot. Animals 2020;10:301. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10020301.

Biau S, Burgaud I. Application of kinesiology taping to equine abdominal musculature in a tension frame for muscle facilitation increases longitudinal activity at the trot. Equine Veterinary Journal 2022;54:973–8. https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.13533.

Burgaud I, Biau S. [Effects of Kinesio Taping applied to the abdominal muscles of horses at walk and trot]. Pratique Vétérinaire Equine 2019;51:32–6.

Molle S. Kinesio taping fundamentals for the equine athlete. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Equine Practice 2016;32:103–13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cveq.2015.12.007.

Ramón T, Prades M, Armengou L, Lanovaz JL, Mullineaux DR, Clayton HM. Effects of athletic taping of the fetlock on distal limb mechanics. Equine Veterinary Journal 2004;36:764–8. https://doi.org/10.2746/0425164044848127.

Van Iwaarden A, Stubbs NC, Clayton HM. Topographical anatomy of the equine M. cutaneus trunci in relation to the position of the saddle and girth. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science 2012;32:519–24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2011.12.005.

Dyson S. Evaluation of poor performance in competition horses: A musculoskeletal perspective. Part 1: Clinical assessment. Equine Veterinary Education 2016;28:284–93. https://doi.org/10.1111/eve.12426.

Brown S, Stubbs NC, Kaiser LJ, Lavagnino M, Clayton HM. Swing phase kinematics of horses trotting over poles. Equine Veterinary Journal 2015;47:107–12. https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.12253.

Percie du Sert N, Hurst V, Ahluwalia A, Alam S, Avey MT, Baker M, et al. The ARRIVE guidelines 2.0: Updated guidelines for reporting animal research. Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism 2020;40:1769–77. https://doi.org/10.1177/0271678X20943823.

Ursini T, Shaw K, Levine D, Richards J, Adair HS. Electromyography of the multifidus muscle in horses trotting during therapeutic exercises. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 2022;9:844776. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2022.844776.

Walker VA, Dyson SJ, Murray RC. Effect of a Pessoa training aid on temporal, linear and angular variables of the working trot. The Veterinary Journal 2013;198:404–11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tvjl.2013.07.005.

Keegan KG, Wilson DA, Smith BK, Wilson DJ. Changes in kinematic variables observed during pressure-induced forelimb lameness in adult horses trotting on a treadmill. American Journal of Veterinary Research 2000;61:612–9. https://doi.org/10.2460/ajvr.2000.61.612.

Coll JA, Blake S, Ferro de Godoy R. Surface electromyography (sEMG) of equine core muscles and kinematics of lumbo-sacral joint during core strengthening exercises. Journal of Equine Rehabilitation 2023;1:100002. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eqre.2023.100002.

St. George L, Spoormakers TJP, Roy SH, Hobbs SJ, Clayton HM, Richards J, et al. Reliability of surface electromyographic (sEMG) measures of equine axial and appendicular muscles during overground trot. PLOS ONE 2023;18:e0288664. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0288664.

St. George LB, Clayton HM, Sinclair JK, Richards J, Roy SH, Hobbs SJ. Electromyographic and kinematic comparison of the leading and trailing fore- and hindlimbs of horses during Canter. Animals 2023;13:1755. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13111755.

Zetterberg E, Leclercq A, Persson-Sjodin E, Lundblad J, Haubro Andersen P, Hernlund E, et al. Prevalence of vertical movement asymmetries at trot in Standardbred and Swedish Warmblood foals. PLOS ONE 2023;18:e0284105. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0284105.

Walker VA, Tranquillle CA, MacKechnie-Guire R, Spear J, Newton R, Murray RC. Effect of ground and raised poles on kinematics of the walk. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science 2022;115:104005. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2022.104005.

Clayton HM, Stubbs NC, Lavagnino M. Stance phase kinematics and kinetics of horses trotting over poles. Equine Veterinary Journal 2015;47:113–8. https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.12251.

Kienapfel K, Preuschoft H, Wulf A, Wagner H. The biomechanical construction of the horse's body and activity patterns of three important muscles of the trunk in the walk, trot and canter. Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition 2018;102:e818–27. https://doi.org/10.1111/jpn.12840.

Robert C, Valette J -P., Pourcelot P, Audigié F, Denoix J -M. Effects of trotting speed on muscle activity and kinematics in saddlehorses. Equine Veterinary Journal 2002;34:295–301. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-3306.2002.tb05436.x.

de Oliveira K, Soutello RVG, da Fonseca R, Costa C, de L. Meirelles PR, Fachiolli DF, et al. Gymnastic training and dynamic mobilization exercises improve stride quality and increase epaxial muscle size in therapy horses. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science 2015;35:888–93. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2015.08.006.

Denoix J-M. Biomechanics and physical training of the horse. CRC Press; 2014.

Dyson S. Equine performance and equitation science: Clinical issues. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 2017;190:5–17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2017.03.001.

Zaneb H, Kaufmann V, Stanek C, Peham C, Licka TF. Quantitative differences in activities of back and pelvic limb muscles during walking and trotting between chronically lame and nonlame horses. American Journal of Veterinary Research 2009;70:1129–34. https://doi.org/10.2460/ajvr.70.9.1129.

Williams JM. Electromyography in the horse: a useful technology? Journal of Equine Veterinary Science 2018;60:43-58.e2. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2017.02.005.

Douglas L, Maddock C, Walker V. How does pole distance alter equine spinal and limb kinematics during in hand walking? Equine Veterinary Journal 2025;57:8–8. https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.70030.

Mackechnie-Guire R, Mackechnie-Guire E, Bush R, Fisher D, Fisher M, Weller R. Local back pressure caused by a training Roller during lunging with and without a Pessoa training aid. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science 2018;67:112–7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2018.03.018.

Garcia Piqueres M, Forés Jackson P. Evaluation of Kinesio taping applied to the equine thoracolumbar spine: clinical response and mechanical nociceptive threshold. Journal of Veterinary Medical Research 2021;28:1–11. https://doi.org/10.21608/jvmr.2021.84001.1039.

King MR, Pavsek H, Ellis KL, Daglish J. Effects of elastic therapeutic tape on thoracolumbar epaxial muscle pain in horses. Journal of Equine Rehabilitation 2024;2:100007. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eqre.2024.100007.

Silva LM, Neiva HP, Marques MC, Izquierdo M, Marinho DA. Effects of warm-up, post-warm-up, and re-warm-up strategies on explosive efforts in team sports: a systematic review. Sports Medicine 2018;48:2285–99. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-018-0958-5.