Walking and Trotting Gait of Domestic Dogs: A Scoping Review of Markerbased, Inertial Measurement Units, and Markerless Methods

• Published in: Physical therapy rehabilitation science Vol. 14; no. 2; pp. 242 - 255
• Main Authors: Lee, Kyeongjin, Song, Changho
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 물리치료재활과학회 30.06.2025
• Subjects: 물리치료학
• ISSN: 2287-7576; 2287-7584
• DOI: 10.14474/ptrs.2025.14.2.242

Objective: We mapped and compared marker-based optical motion capture, wearable inertial measurement units (IMUs), andmarkerless video-based techniques to quantify walking and trotting gaits in domestic dogs, and identify evidence gaps that hinderclinically acceptable implementation. Design: A scoping review was conducted. Methods: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, CAB Abstracts, VetMed Resource, and Google Scholar were searched for studiespublished between January 1, 2015, and July 31, 2025. Eligible studies reported kinematic, kinetic, or temporospatial outcomesduring canine walking or trotting using marker-based motion capture, IMUs, or markerless video/pressure-walkway systems. Tworeviewers independently screened each record, extracted the data, and descriptively summarized the results. Results: Thirty-one studies (marker-based = 8, IMU = 16, markerless = 7) showed that marker-based systems deliver full 3-Dkinematics but require laboratory setup and up to 18 % soft-tissue artifacts occur. Multi-sensor IMUs replicate sagittal kinematicsto within 2.5° 3.5° (CCC 0.95), and single-sensor units detect stride events to within 0.05 s. Markerless – ≥ pressure walkwaysmeasure ground-reaction forces precisely but cannot discriminate early osteoarthritis, while video or depth-camera pipelines yield6–10 mm joint errors and are not broadly validated across diverse breeds. Conclusions:Objective canine gait analysis is rapidly expanding beyond laboratory research. IMU systems already deliver clinically acceptableaccuracy, and markerless video methods appear promising. At present, protocol standardization, diverse breed validation, andconsensus outcome sets are required before these technologies can be widely adopted for primary veterinary care[A1] KCI Citation Count: 0