Summary
Objective: The study assessed the use and reliability of bathroom scales as an objective measurement
tool, and setting a normal variance of static weight bearing between hindlimbs.
Methods: Two groups of dogs were tested: a healthy control group (n = 21) and a group (n =
43) of dogs with confirmed osteoarthritis in at least one stifle joint, with or without
hip joint osteoarthritis. Static weight bearing was evaluated manually and measured
with two bathroom scales. An orthopaedic examination was done and dynamic weight bearing
was measured using a force platform. Radiographs were taken to confirm the presence
of osteoarthritis, and dogs were divided into groups of severe and non-severe osteoarthritic
changes. Reliability by repeatability was tested using analysis of variance, and the
congruity between static weight bearing and other evaluation methods with Kappa statistics
and proportion of agreement.
Results: The difference between the hindlimbs proportional to the body weight in control dogs
was 3.3% (± 2.7%). The repeatability of measuring static weight bearing in the hindlimbs
of osteoarthritic dogs with bathroom scales was 81% with osteoarthritic limbs, and
70% for unaffected limbs. The sensitivity of static weight bearing measurements using
bathroom scales was 39% and specificity 85%.
Clinical significance: Bathroom scales are a reliable, simple, and cost-effective objective method for measuring
static weight bearing and can be used as an outcome measure when rehabilitating dogs
with osteoarthritic changes in the hindlimbs.
Keywords
Weight bearing - bathroom scale - osteoarthritis - physiotherapy - outcome measure
