6 Indicators of SIJ pain/stiffness
Either Yes/No indication
3/more out of 6= POSITIVE pain/stiffness
- Reduced Lumbosacral flexibility:
- Side to Side (Lateral) and Up/Down (Ventrodorsal) mobility should be symmetrical
- NOW: Presence of “guarding mechanism”
- Horse avoids movement on one side or overall movement
- Tracking narrow behind:
- Normally horses hind feet follow front feet, on 2 tracks
- NOW: Looks like walking on a cord with the hindlegs
- Easily spotted in walk/trot
- Could be 1 or both hindlegs that track narrow
- Lateral walk:
- Normal gait pattern the front and opposite hind leg work together
- NOW: 2 feet on the same side move forward at the same time
- Spotted when walking in serpentine, often in one direction(L/R)
- In severe cases can be seen on straight line
- Haunches/Quarters in/out:
- Normally horses walk, trot, canter on 2 tracks.
- Front and hind limbs stay on the same track(straight)
- NOW: Horse moves in 3 tracks, haunches either in or out
- More obvious on circle and mostly to one side
- Asymmetry of the tail:
- Normal position is midline, slightly elevated
- NOW: If in walk on straight line it is kept to one side(L/R)
- In serpentine the tail is “Locked” to one side(L/R)
- Bunny hop canter:
- Normal canter has separation between footfalls of hind end
- Rhythmically moving (1,2 :1,2)
- NOW: No separation between footfalls, hops like a bunny and croup is higher
- No rhythm of (1,2 : 1,2), moving together (1,1 : 1,1)
