Many children with cerebral palsy (CP) show impairments in trunk posture control, one crucial factor contributing to impairments in gait and arm manipulation.
The goal of this study was to test the ...feasibility of the cable-driven hippotherapy system on improving trunk posture control and walking function in children with CP.
Ten children were recruited in this study with average age 6.4 ± 3.0 years old, and were randomly assigned to the robotic group and the conventional balance training group. A custom designed cable-driven robotic hippotherapy system was used to deliver controlled pelvis perturbations while children were sitting astride. Participants from both groups underwent intensive robotic hippotherapy training or conventional balance training, depending on their group assignment, for 6 weeks (3 time/week). Outcome measures were assessed pre and post 6 weeks of robotic or conventional balance training, and 8 weeks after the end of training (follow-up test). The primary outcome measure was trunk control, which was measured using the Trunk Control Measurement Scale (TCMS). In addition, the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM-66), self-selected overground walking speed, and 6-minute walking distance were also assessed.
The change in TCMS score from baseline to the post intervention was significantly greater for the robotic group than that for the conventional group (i.e., 6 ± 3 vs. −1 ± 5, p = 0.048, Mann-Whitney test). GMFM scores, self-selected overground walking speed, and 6-minute walking distance showed no significant improvement after robotic hippotherapy and after conventional balance training (p > 0.05).
Results from this study indicated that it was feasible to improve trunk posture control in children with CP using a cable-driven robotic hippotherapy system. Knowledge obtained from this study may provide an insight for the development of new perturbation-based intervention approaches for improving trunk posture control in children with CP.
•A cable-driven robotic hippotherapy system has been tested in children with CP.•Greater improvement in trunk posture control was observed after robotic hippotherapy.•It was feasible to improve trunk posture control using robotic hippotherapy training.
The present work aims to carry out a structured and bibliographic review based on the results found regarding the terms Hippotherapy and Elderly people. For the reference search, the following ...keywords in English, Hippotherapy and Elderly, were used as descriptors, these keywords being always entered in databases of the same language. The computerized databases SCOPUS, WOS, SPORTDiscus were used. PubMed and Cochrane. To limit the search for documents, four inclusion criteria were introduced: i) Mention at least some of the characteristics of Hippotherapy for the elderly (minimum 20 words that mention the subject), ii) Select only scientific documents (journal articles) These articles may have an experimental design or be review articles, iii) Be accessible and be available in full text or with access to the abstract, and iiii) Be written in Spanish, English or Portuguese. The results show that the papers on Hippotherapy in the elderly address different research topics and show that equestrian therapies have beneficial therapeutic effects in the elderly population. Hippotherapy interventions improve static balance and dynamic balance, postural balance, functional mobility, flexibility, muscular strength, gait and cadence of steps. They reduce spasticity, causing a decrease in the risk of falls and an improvement in the quality of life of the elderly. In addition, they cause benefits on a psychological level, reducing levels of stress and depression, which produces an improvement in the quality of sleep and positively influences mood.
Chronic low back pain (CLBP) significantly impacts daily life. Currently, hippotherapy on a robotic horse has been shown to decrease pain and disability in low back pain. However, live horses and ...different types of saddles used during hippotherapy may have various therapeutic effects. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare the standard all-purpose saddle and the pad saddle used in live horse hippotherapy for individuals with CLBP. Ten participants with CLBP were assessed pain level using the visual analog scale (VAS) and lumbopelvic mobility using the Schober test and inertia measurement unit (IMU) before and after each saddle, with a one-week interval between saddles and a 20-minute hippotherapy session. The dependent t-test, with a significance level of 0.05, was conducted to compare the percentage change of each variable between two saddles. The result showed that the standard saddles significantly reduced pain levels (p <0.001) and increased pelvic range (p<0.05) greater than applied pad saddles in participants with chronic LBP. Therefore, the standard all-purpose saddle is more beneficial than the applied pad saddle for individuals with chronic LBP undergoing hippotherapy.
Introduction: Autism is defined as difficulties in relating and communicating with other people and repetitive, specific behaviors. It is a developmental disorder, manifested before the age of 3. ...Increasingly, parents' awareness is resulting in reaching for a variety of therapies to help children on the spectrum develop properly. The interdisciplinary method that is hippotherapy stimulates physical and mental contact with the horse. Therefore, it can be assumed that this is a method that significantly helps the development and such children.
Aim of the study: Compile publicly available studies and publications and determine whether hippotherapy has a beneficial effect on the development of children with autism.
Materials and methods: A review of publications and studies available on Google Scholar and PubMed was made, using the phrases "autism" ; autism hippotherapy" ; "development of children with autism " ; "hippotherapy".
Results: The higher standard of living nowadays and the deeper interest in the methods available for the therapy of children with ASD, allows parents to reach for non-standard solutions such as hippotherapy. Demonstrating the positive impact of activities with horses is the subject of many scientific studies. Studies conducted allow us to believe that, it has a beneficial effect on the development of people on the spectrum, through stimulation in the emotional, physical and social areas. Based on a review of the literature for the purpose of this article, it can be concluded that hippotherapy has a positive effect as an accompaniment to therapy for children with autism.
Conclusion: Pharmacological treatment is the easiest way to deal with the symptoms of autism, but does not eliminate social deficits and emotional disorders. A number of therapies have emerged to help children on the spectrum develop: art therapy, Biofeedback, Brain Gymnastics, Logorytime . Incorporating hippotherapy into the child's treatment process allows the therapy to be complementary on many levels. Many studies have emerged confirming the positive impact on the development of a child on the spectrum, but there is no golden mean to cure this type of disorder.
Cerebral palsy is one of the most common neurological diseases in children. An important aspect of improvement is the development of motor functions, self-service, communication and social skills. ...Therefore, rehabilitation, in all forms one of them is hippotherapy, must be focused on motor education, as well as on improving the child's psyche. The beneficial effect of a horse is that it controls muscle tension, strengthens flaccid muscles and relaxes shortened muscles, which prevents contractures. Therapeutic riding improves the quality of life of such children, allows them to open up to the world, thus activating them and creating interaction between the child and the horse, and this improves their physical and mental condition. Hippotherapy is one of the most effective complementary therapeutic methods used to improve children with cerebral palsy.
Cerebral palsy is one of the most common neurological diseases in children. An important aspect of improvement is the development of motor functions, self-service, communication and social skills. ...Therefore, rehabilitation, in all forms one of them is hippotherapy, must be focused on motor education, as well as on improving the child's psyche. The beneficial effect of a horse is that it controls muscle tension, strengthens flaccid muscles and relaxes shortened muscles, which prevents contractures. Therapeutic riding improves the quality of life of such children, allows them to open up to the world, thus activating them and creating interaction between the child and the horse, and this improves their physical and mental condition. Hippotherapy is one of the most effective complementary therapeutic methods used to improve children with cerebral palsy.
Purpose This study evaluated the effects of hippotherapy on seated postural balance, dynamic balance, and functional performance in children with cerebral palsy and compared the effects of 12 and 24 ...sessions on seated postural balance. Subjects and Methods This study included 15 children with cerebral palsy aged between 5 and 10 years. Interventions: A hippotherapy protocol was performed for 30 minutes, twice a week, for 12 weeks. Postural balance in a sitting position was measured using an AMTI AccuSway Plus force platform 1 week before initiating the hippotherapy program and after 12 and 24 weeks. The Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI) were used before and after 24 sessions. Results Significant differences were observed for center of pressure (COP) variables, including medio-lateral (COPml), anteroposterior displacement (COPap), and velocity of displacement (VelCOP), particularly after 24 sessions. There were also significant differences in BBS scores and PEDI score increases associated with functional skills (self-care, social function, and mobility), caregiver assistance (self-care), social function, and mobility. Conclusion Hippotherapy resulted in improvement in postural balance in the sitting position, dynamic balance, and functionality in children with cerebral palsy, an effect particularly significant after 24 hippotherapy sessions.
Introduction and purpose: the Terminology Guidelines of the American Hippotherapy Association defines Equine Assisted Activities or Therapies (EAA/T) as a collection of different forms of contact ...between man and horse. EAA/T have become increasingly common interventions in the last decade, demonstrating therapeutic benefits in various areas of mental health. The aim of this report is to identify the forms and programmes of EAA/T that are used and to summarise and assess the latest available evidences of their clinical effectiveness in the treatment of symptoms of mental ilness and disorders such as autism spectrum disorders, post-traumatic stress syndrome or schizophrenia. In order to achieve the above mentioned objectives, a literature review has been conducted to summarise existing evidence relating to the subject matter of the study in a descriptive manner. Description of the state of knowledge: 13 findings were found in autism spectrum disorders (1 review paper and 5 research papers), post-traumatic stress syndrome (1 review paper and 4 research papers), schizophrenia (1 review paper), and children whose parents were addicted (1 research paper). Summary: the results of the research indicate that Equine Assisted Activities and Therapies (EAA/T), including horse riding, may be beneficial for people with mental illnesses and disorders, such as autism spectrum disorders, post-traumatic stress syndrome, schizophrenia, and for people whose parents were addicted.
The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of hippotherapy simulator on balance, postural control, mobility, functional capacity and independence level in people with stroke.
This study ...involved 26 people with stroke aged 18-65, who were randomly assigned to a Hippotherapy Simulator Group (HSG;
= 13) and a Conventional Exercise Group (CEG;
= 13). Patients underwent assessments using the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Postural Assessment Scale for Stroke (PAS-S), Timed Up and Go Test (TUG), Rivermead Mobility Index (RMI), 2-Minute Walking Test (2-MWT), and Barthel Daily Living Activity Index (BI) to evaluate balance, postural control, mobility, functional capacity, and independence before and after treatment. In the HSG, participants received 30 sessions of conventional exercises and hippotherapy simulator - a mechanical and robotic equipment with a dynamic saddle simulating horse movement - exercises over 6 weeks. Meanwhile, the CEG underwent 30 sessions of conventional exercises alone for 6 weeks.
In the post-therapy evaluation between groups, BBS (
= 0.004) and 2-MWT (
< 0.001) scores were higher in HSG compared to CEG. However, no statistically significant difference was found between the two groups in terms of PAS-S, RMI, TUG and BI scores (
> 0.05). Statistically significant differences were found between BBS, PAS-S, RMI, TUG, BI and 2-MWT scores before and after treatment in both groups (
< 0.05).
Hippotherapy simulator can be added to conventional exercises to improve balance and functional capacity in people with stroke.
Introduction and purpose: Chronic pain is a struggle itself and also a symptom in many common conditions. Its complexity requires diverse treatment methods including some that might seem ...unconventional, for example, horse riding. This study gathers information about the use of equine assisted therapy in pain relief. Brief description of the state of knowledge: Hippotherapy is known as an important part of care for patients with cerebral palsy, attention deficit and autism. The rhythmical, multidimensional movements of the horse are transmitted to the rider’s pelvis and help in strengthening and stretching the muscles which result in better posture stabilization and balance. The positive effects of equine assisted therapy are not limited to only physical ones but positive social, cognitive and psychological effects can be observed as well. In order to lower the cost and time of the therapy, horse riding simulators were invented. So far, horse riding has been tested as a pain relief tool in entities like nonspecific low back pain, multiple sclerosis and arthritis. Summary: Horse riding sessions had beneficial effects on pain levels among patients with nonspecific back pain and arthritis. There is a need to conduct further research in order to properly compare the use of real horses versus horse simulators. Hippotherapy was well perceived by different patient groups so maybe it has the potential to be an important part of pain management in various conditions.
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