A Comparison Between Body Weight-Supported Treadmill Training and Conventional Over-Ground Training in Dogs With Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury

Abstract

In human medicine there was no evidence registered of a significant difference in recovery between body weight-supported treadmill training (BWSTT) and conventional over-ground (COGI). There isn't any similar study in veterinary medicine. Thus, this study aimed to compare the locomotor recovery obtained in incomplete SCI (T11–L3 Hansen type I) post-surgical dogs following BWSTT or COGI protocols, describing their evolution during 7 weeks in regard to OFS classifications. At admission, dogs were blindly randomized in two groups but all were subjected to the same protocol (underwater treadmill training) for the first 2 weeks. After, they were divided in the BWSTT group (n = 10) and the COGI group (n = 10) for the next 2 weeks, where they performed different training. In both groups locomotor training was accompanied by functional electrical stimulation (FES) protocols. Results reported statistically significant differences between all OFS evaluations time-points (p < 0.001) and between the two groups (p < 0.001). In particular with focus on T1 to T3 a two-way repeated measures ANOVA was performed and similar results were obtained (p = 0.007). Functional recovery was achieved in 90% (17/19) of all dogs and 100% recovered bladder function. The BWSTT group showed 100% (10/10) recovery within a mean time of 4.6 weeks, while the COGI group had 78% (7/9) within 6.1 weeks. Therefore, BWSTT leads to a faster recovery with a better outcome in general.

Functional Neurorehabilitation in Dogs with an Incomplete Recovery 3 Months following Intervertebral Disc Surgery: A Case Series

“…Compared to the present study, the results described above may be related to the fact that locomotor training should be performed every day in order to induce plasticity in the reflex pathways [ 17 , 126 , 139 , 140 ]. In Martins et al (2020) [ 17 ], the authors reported a statistically significant positive evolution over time, with an increase in mean OFS related to the locomotor training implemented.…”

“…Compared to the present study, the results described above may be related to the fact that locomotor training should be performed every day in order to induce plasticity in the reflex pathways [ 17 , 126 , 139 , 140 ]. In Martins et al (2020) [ 17 ], the authors reported a statistically significant positive evolution over time, with an increase in mean OFS related to the locomotor training implemented. Thus, repetitive locomotor training tasks could promote cutaneous reflex excitability [ 141 ], by different mechanisms, such as the sprouting and regeneration of damaged fibers and changes in synapses’ efficiency [ 142 , 143 ].…”

“…The land BWSTT enhances muscle endurance, promotes the rhythmic activity of the spinal network, and increases the stimulation of the remaining descending/ascending pathways [ 17 , 100 ]. Locomotor training is essential as a strong neuromodulator that may contribute to neuroregeneration and to the disinhibition of the descending motor pathways that are inhibited in SCI dogs, stimulating pre-motor neuronal control and promoting intra-limb and inter-limb coordination [ 101 , 102 , 103 ].…”

“…Functional neurorehabilitation (FNR) protocols are based on repetitive task-specific therapy to optimize the spinal locomotor performance [ 15 , 16 , 17 ] and can stimulate and promote new connection formation, proving the spinal cord’s ability to interpret complex sensory inputs for posture and locomotion [ 8 , 18 ]. Therefore, FNR provides certain advantages in the recovery of muscle and motor functions in chronic dogs [ 19 ].…”

A Controlled Clinical Study of Intensive Neurorehabilitation in Post-Surgical Dogs with Severe Acute Intervertebral Disc Extrusion

“…Furthermore, electrical stimulation by FES may potentiate large-diameter motor neurons recruitment capable of fast conduction velocity fibers instead of recruiting small diameter motor neurons, which are slower and more susceptible to fatigue [ 101 , 102 ]. FES may also increase the muscle tonus in the hindlimbs and enhance the polysynaptic reflex, essential in this population of dogs that showed an absent or decreased withdrawal reflex [ 66 , 67 , 103 , 104 ].…”