Motion of the foot and ankle during the stance phase in rats

• Published in: Muscle & nerve Vol. 26; no. 5; pp. 630 - 635
• Main Authors: Varejão, Artur S. P., Cabrita, António M., Meek, Marcel F., Bulas-Cruz, José, Gabriel, Ronaldo C., Filipe, Vitor M., Melo-Pinto, Pedro, Winter, David A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 01.11.2002; Wiley
• Subjects: Animals; Ankle - physiology; ankle angle; Biological and medical sciences; Biomechanical Phenomena; Foot - physiology; foot and ankle function; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gait - physiology; Male; Movement - physiology; Muscle Contraction - physiology; Muscle, Skeletal - physiology; peripheral nerve; Peripheral nervous system. Autonomic nervous system. Neuromuscular transmission. Ganglionic transmission. Electric organ; Posture - physiology; Range of Motion, Articular - physiology; rat gait kinematics; Rats; Rats, Wistar - anatomy & histology; Rats, Wistar - physiology; stance phase; Vertebrates: body movement. Posture. Locomotion. Flight. Swimming. Physical exercise. Rest. Sports; Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs; ankle angle; Peripheral nerve; stance phase; Rat; Mechanical model; Rodentia; Lower limb; rat gait kinematics; Nervous system; Foot; Ankle; Walking; Angular measurement; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Animal; Kinematics; Body movement; Measurement method; foot and ankle function; Computer aid
• ISSN: 0148-639X; 1097-4598
• DOI: 10.1002/mus.10242

Computerized analysis of rat gait is becoming an invaluable technique used by some peripheral nerve investigators for the evaluation of function. In this article we describe the use of a biomechanical model of the foot and ankle that allows a quantitative assessment and description of the ankle angle, reflecting plantarflexion and dorsiflexion during the stance phase of gait. Kinematic data of 144 trial walks from 36 normal rats were recorded with a high‐speed digital image camera at 225 images per second. The ankle angular changes associated with the specific temporal events of foot placement on the ground through the stance phase were assessed. The information obtained was used to propose a new subdivision of the stance phase in the rat into three major components. This approach will provide a helpful research tool to analyze gait data that rely on the accurate determination of spatiotemporal foot events. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Muscle Nerve 26: 630–635, 2002