Emma Persson-Sjödin

The goal of my research is primarily to enhance knowledge about the interpretation and use of objective motion analysis in lameness diagnostics. The use of objective motion analysis to a large extent mitigates the well-known limitations of visual assessments, but it is crucial to understand how to correctly interpret the data collected. I am currently leading a three-year project funded by the Swedish-Norwegian Foundation for Equine Research, focusing on the interpretation of objective motion analysis during lunging.
In this project, we collaborate with NMBU in Norway, Utrecht University in the Netherlands, Tierklinik Lusche in Germany, and, of course, the UDS Equine Clinic. One of the sub-projects focuses specifically on the movement of Icelandic horses on a circle during lameness and involves collaboration with clinicians at Mälaren Equine Clinic as well as several private veterinary practitioners.
In addition to this, I am involved in several other projects related to equine biomechanics. I also work as a clinician at the UDS Equine Clinic, where my main area of focus is lameness investigations.

I teach veterinary and animal nursing students in anatomy and motion analysis and supervise them during the writing of their master’s theses. I also mentor students in clinical practice when they are at the equine clinic's outpatient department. Additionally, I serve as a course leader and examiner for some of the veterinary students' courses.

• How can clinical assessment during lameness investigations be improved with objective motion analysis?
• How do clinically lame horses compensate on a circle? What differences are associated with pain location and diagnosis?
• Can the movement of the withers be used to distinguish between primary forelimb lameness and compensatory forelimb lameness on a circle?
• Do Icelandic horses compensate differently for lameness compared to warmblood riding horses?
• Other projects related to objective motion analysis and equine biomechanics.

After graduating as a veterinarian in 2015, I worked for a period as a district veterinarian before starting my doctoral studies in 2016. During my PhD, I combined research with teaching anatomy and clinical work at the UDS Equine Clinic. I defended my thesis in 2020, which explored the clinical significance of movement asymmetries in healthy and lame riding horses.

Today, I work as a senior lecturer and am employed at the Department of Animal Biosciences.

In my private life, I have a great interest in animals and nature. I own both a horse and a dog, which I enjoy training and spending time with.

I am the co-supervisor for the doctoral student:

Ebba Zetterberg, SLU

Marunova E, Hernlund E, Persson-Sjödin E. Effect of circle, surface type and stride duration on vertical head and pelvis movement in riding horses with pre-existing movement asymmetries in trot. PLoS One. 2024 Aug 16;19(8):e0308996. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0308996

Zetterberg E, Persson-Sjodin E, Lundblad J, Hernlund E, Rhodin M. Prevalence of movement asymmetries in high-performing riding horses perceived as free from lameness and riders' perception of horse sidedness. PLoS One. 2024 Jul 30;19(7):e0308061. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0308061. PMID: 39078818; PMCID: PMC11288442.

Smit IH, Hernlund E, Persson-Sjodin E, Björnsdóttir S, Gunnarsdottir H, Gunnarsson V, Rhodin M, Serra Braganca FM. Adaptation strategies of the Icelandic horse with induced forelimb lameness at walk, trot and tölt. Equine Vet J. 2024. doi: 10.1111/evj.13998. https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.13998

Persson-Sjödin, E., Wärnsberg, E., & Ringmark, S. (2023). Relationship between body condition and vertical movement symmetry in 109 riding school horses. Comparative Exercise Physiology. https://doi.org/10.1163/17552559-20220068

Leclercq A, Lundblad J, Persson-Sjodin E, Ask K, Zetterberg E, Hernlund E, Haubro Andersen P, Rhodin M. (2023). Perceived sidedness and correlation to vertical movement asymmetries in young warmblood horses. PloS One, 18(7), e0288043. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0288043

Persson-Sjodin E, Hernlund E, Pfau T, Andersen PH, Forsström KH, Byström A, Serra Bragança FM, Hardeman A, Greve L, Egenvall A, Rhodin M. Withers vertical movement symmetry is useful for locating the primary lame limb in naturally occurring lameness. Equine Vet J. 2024 Jan;56(1):76-88. doi: 10.1111/evj.13947

Zetterberg, E., Leclercq, A., Persson-Sjodin, E., Lundblad, J., Haubro Andersen, P., Hernlund, E., & Rhodin, M. Prevalence of vertical movement asymmetries at trot in Standardbred and Swedish Warmblood foals. Plos one, 2023;18(4), e0284105.

Rhodin M, Smit IH, Persson-Sjodin E, Pfau T, Gunnarsson V, Björnsdóttir S, Zetterberg E, Clayton HM, Hobbs SJ, Serra Bragança F, Hernlund E. Timing of Vertical Head, Withers and Pelvis Movements Relative to the Footfalls in Different Equine Gaits and Breeds. Animals. 2022; 12(21):3053. 

Roepstorff C., Dittmann M.T., Arpagaus S., Serra Bragança F.M., Hardeman A., Persson-Sjödin E., Roepstorff L., Gmel A. I., Weishaupt M. A. Reliable and clinically applicable gait event classification using upper body motion in walking and trotting horses. J Biomech. 2021;114:110146. 

Pfau T, Persson-Sjodin E, Gardner H, Orssten O, Hernlund E, Rhodin M. Effect of Speed and Surface Type on Individual Rein and Combined Left – Right Circle Movement Asymmetry in Horses on the Lunge. Frontiers in Veterinary Science. 2021;8:1–12. 

Kallerud AS, Hernlund E, Byström A, Persson-Sjodin E, Rhodin M, Hendrickson EHS, Fjordbakk CT. Non-banked curved tracks influence movement symmetry in two-year-old Standardbred trotters. Equine Vet J. 2021 Nov;53(6):1178-1187. doi: 10.1111/evj.13409

Serra Bragança F.M., Broomé S., Rhodin M., Björnsdóttir S., Gunnarsson V., Voskamp J.P., Persson-Sjödin E.,  Back, W., Lindgren G., Novoa-Bravo M., Roepstorff C., van der Zwaag B.J., Van Weeren P.R., Hernlund, E. Improving gait classification in horses by using inertial measurement unit (IMU) generated data and machine learning. Sci Rep. 2021;10(1).

Kallerud AS, Fjordbakk CT, Hendrickson EHS, Persson-Sjodin E, Hammarberg M, Rhodin M, Hernlund E. Objectively measured movement asymmetry in yearling Standardbred trotters. Equine Vet J. 2021 May;53(3):590-599. doi: 10.1111/evj.13302 

Persson-Sjodin E, Hernlund E, Pfau T, Andersen PH, Rhodin M. Effect of meloxicam treatment on movement asymmetry in riding horses in training. PLoS One. 2019;1–14.

Pfau T., Noordwijk K., Sepulveda Caviedes M.F., Persson-Sjodin E., Barstow A., Forbes B., Rhodin M. Head, withers and pelvic movement asymmetry and their relative timing in trot in racing Thoroughbreds in training. Equine Vet J. 2018;50(1):117–24. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/wol1/doi/10.1111/evj.12705/abstract

Persson-Sjodin E., Hernlund E., Pfau T., Andersen P. H., Rhodin M. Influence of seating styles on head and pelvic vertical movement symmetry in horses ridden at trot. PLoS One. 2018; 13(4):1–15. http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0195341

Rhodin M., Persson-Sjodin E., Egenvall A., Serra Bragança F. M., Pfau T., Roepstorff L., Weishaupt M.A., Thomsen M.H., van Weeren P.R., Hernlund E. Vertical movement symmetry of the withers in horses with induced forelimb and hindlimb lameness at trot. Equine Vet J. 2018; 50(6). https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/evj.12844

Byström A., Roepstorff L., Rhodin M., Serra Bragança F., Engell MT., Hernlund E., Persson-Sjödin E., Van Weeren R., Weishaupt M. A., Egenvall, A. Lateral movement of the saddle relative to the equine spine in rising and sitting trot on a treadmill. PLoS One. 2018; 13(7):1–14.

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