Tarsal arthrodesis, hopping gait

[dmpaster]

I’ve been working with a 3yr old spayed female border collie who had a partial tarsal arthrodesis six months ago. Owners would like to return her to flyball. So far, she has been doing recalls over low jumps, no work on the box yet. She had been doing great until recently when her owners were working her on a treadmill at home and noticed she hopped with the surgery leg a few times before settling into a normal gait.
When I examined her, her back was a little tender with DV glides at the T-L junction, and she had some trigger points in her sartorius. Patella didn’t luxate, there was no discomfort over her implants. I sent her home with some motor control and timing exercises while I think about what to do next.
Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks,
Diane

[lehughes]

Hey Diane,

I would think that the hop is simply because of the restriction at the tarsus that might make it hard to gait at certain speeds. When the dog finds the appropriate speed, then he/she can normalize the gait pattern. That would be my first thought

Alternately, I would wonder if the adjacent joints are stiff, and it takes some time to warm up the joints. But I think the first thought makes more sense in my head.

Your plan of adding the motor control and timing is good. However, I don't think that there is tons 'to do' about this hop in this scenario. Can they get the hop to go away by warming up at a slower speed for longer and then move into a trot faster? I think you can offer advice for the most part... as to me it sounds like this is biomechanical vs pathologic.

Of course, keep looking for other pain points... but I don't know that you will find any. But that's a good thing!

Best of luck.

Laurie

[David Lane]

With a partial arthrodesis only, I would be thinking the hop is coming the hip/lower back origin. Cranial translation of a hemipelvis/other SIJ issue, psoas or other hip flexors, or deep lower lumbar paraspinal trigger points would be highest on my list with that history.

[dmpaster]

Thanks guys!
I see her every few weeks for dry needling and mobilizations, so I will be sure to carefully go over her hip/low back pelvis again.
She doesn’t do the hop when she’s not on the land treadmill, so I’m really hoping it’s related to the speed they had the treadmill at.
Diane