Physical therapy for horses involves the application of various therapeutic techniques to aid in the rehabilitation, recovery, and maintenance of equine musculoskeletal health. These techniques are used to address issues such as injuries, post-surgical recovery, and performance enhancement. Methods commonly employed in equine physical therapy include massage, stretching, hydrotherapy, and controlled exercise programs. Physical therapy aims to improve mobility, reduce pain, and promote healing in horses. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the methodologies, efficacy, and outcomes of physical therapy interventions in equine care.
Connolly K, Ekholm Fry N.An increasing number of universities and colleges in the United States are offering coursework on adaptive/therapeutic riding and the incorporation of horses in human service areas such as psychotherapy, education, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech-language pathology. The first study to identify coursework in these areas was published in 2018. In order to track development over time, we conducted a replication study to determine the prevalence of coursework on horses in human services at higher education institutions. Information gathered for the 2021-2022 academic year includ...
Salbaş E, Karahan AY.Newly created systems called hippotherapy simulators (HS) mimic the primitive movements of a live horse. As they are new systems, research examining their usefulness has been well received. The aim of this study is to research the effects of HS on disease activity, quality of life and muscle strength in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Unassigned: In a prospective, assessor-blinded, block-randomized trial, 48 AS patients were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive either HS or conventional home (CH) exercise therapy. All Participants received 48 sessions, that is 4 sessions a we...
Mattila-Rautiainen S, Venojärvi M, Rautiainen H, Keski-Valkama A.Equine - Facilitated Therapy (EFT), an equine environment, and horses themselves can meet many physical and mental health needs beyond diagnostic categories. The horse's ability to produce a walk-like movement and the participant's ability to connect to non-judgemental living creatures, both of which can benefit participation and construct a positive self-image for chronic pain patients. The objective of this study is to evaluate the impact of EFT on perceived physical performance, level of pain, pain acceptance, depression and anxiety, and quality of life within a 12-week intervention for chr...
Luomala T.Fascia is a complex and intriguing tissue, which can take on structural properties of being loose or dense, irregular or regular. Fascia functions by connecting, separating, and uniting different structures of the body. Myofascial dysfunction can be a significant source of pain and can be categorized as densification, adhesion, and fibrosis. Digital palpation and treatment of myofascial disorders can be provided via superficial or deep techniques. Different myofascial treatment techniques include slow and fast techniques, which can be applied at different depths, angles, and rhythms.
Lavín-Pérez AM, Collado-Mateo D, Caña-Pino A, Villafaina S, Parraca JA, Apolo-Arenas MD.This systematic review aimed to provide an up-to-date analysis of the effects of equine-assisted therapies (EAT) in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed to conduct this systematic review. PubMed and Web of Science databases were employed in the search, which ended in February 2022. The risk of bias analysis was performed using the Evidence Project tool. After removing duplicates, thirty-nine studies were identified. However, only ten fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were included in t...
Jung YG, Chang HJ, Jo ES, Kim DH.This study aimed to evaluate the effect of a horse-riding simulator (HRS) with virtual reality (VR) on gross motor function, balance control, and body composition in children with spastic cerebral palsy (CP). Seventeen preschool and school-aged children with spastic CP were included; 10 children in the intervention group (HRS group) received 30 min of HRS with VR training twice a week for a total of 16 sessions in addition to conventional physiotherapy. Seven children in the control group were instructed to perform home-based aerobic exercises twice a week for 8 weeks in addition to convention...
Ramos MM, Nabeiro M.Balance is the basis for all body movements, and is influenced by sensory systems: visual, vestibular and proprioceptive. Therefore, the loss of any of these systems, as in the case of visual impairment (VI), may carry important consequences for body balance and, thus, motor development. The objective of this study was to evaluate changes in the static and dynamic balance of a participant with VI and autism characteristics. application of the Berg and Tinetti's Balance Scale, pre- and post-equine assisted services interventions. The study is a qualitative and descriptive case study. The data f...
Dai F, Costa ED, Giordano A, Heinzl EUL, Giongo P, Pagnozzi G, Cannas S, Minozzi G, Minero M.Horses preparation for competition may cause psychological and physical stress. Physical vascular therapy BEMER® is reported to increase vasomotion and microcirculation, supporting body healing. This study aimed at assessing whether BEMER® physical vascular therapy in horses influences recovery rate of hematological and biochemical blood parameters within 1 h after moderate exercise and reduces stress measured by physiological and behavioral indicators. This prospective, randomized, double blinded, placebo-controlled crossover study included twelve warmblood horses (3 mares, 8 geldings, 1 s...
Potvin-Bélanger A, Vincent C, Freeman A, Flamand VH.The aim was to document the effects of hippotherapy on the 12 life habits of children with various disabilities. A systematic review using PRISMA guidelines was conducted to identify relevant studies. Five databases were consulted. Inclusion criteria were: 2-to-18 years old; therapy provided by a PT, OT or SLP/SLT; variables relevant to life habits as defined by the Human Development Model - Disability Creation Process. Quality was analyzed using a quantitative studies critical review form developed by the McMaster University Occupational Therapy Evidence-Based Practice Research Group. Level...
Ayala MD, Carrillo A, Iniesta P, Ferrer P.Different welfare indicators were studied in three patients with psychomotor alterations and in two horses throughout 9-10 equine assisted therapy sessions in each patient. In horses, heart and respiratory rates, blood pressure, temperature and behavioral signs were studied. In patients, heart rate, oxygen saturation, temperature, sleep quality, psychomotor and emotional parameters were analyzed. Data collection was recorded in the anticipatory phase (15 min before the start of the session), two interaction phases (after 30 min of horse-patient interaction on the ground and on horseback, respe...
Chang HJ, Jung YG, Park YS, O SH, Kim DH, Kim CW.The horse riding simulator (HRS) reportedly has a beneficial effect on motor function and balance in children with cerebral palsy (CP). However, by itself, the HRS is not a sufficient source of challenge and motivation for children. To address this issue, we combined the HRS with virtual reality (VR) to promote somatosensory stimulation and motivation. Sixteen children (ages: 5-17 years) with CP and presenting Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) levels I-IV were enrolled in the study. Using a head-mounted display and controllers, interventions were carried out over 30-min period...
Lightsey P, Lee Y, Krenek N, Hur P.Physical therapy treatments incorporating equine movement are recognized as an effective tool to treat functional mobility and balance in children with cerebral palsy (CP). To date, only a few studies examined kinematic outputs of the horses and children when mounted. In this pilot study, to better understand the effectiveness of this type of treatment, we examined the interaction between the horses and children with CP during physical therapy sessions where equine movement was utilized. Four children with CP participated in eight physical therapy sessions incorporating hippotherapy as a treat...
Chen YT, Mills C, von Rickenbach KJ, McInnis KC.A 61-yr-old female equestrian presented after 2 wks of left medial thigh pain, which developed suddenly while exiting a car. She denied any history of recent trauma or falls. On examination, she was found to have tenderness at the left distal medial thigh with a palpable region of decreased tissue volume at the gracilis myotendinous junction. Point-of-care ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging confirmed a high-grade partial thickness tear of the left distal gracilis at the myotendinous junction, as well as pes anserine bursal distention. She received physical therapy and underwent a 1-time...
Tabsuri T, Thawinchai N, Peansukmanee S, Lugade V.Children with cerebral palsy (CP) have poor postural control. Horseback riding (HR) is an alternative treatment shown to improve postural control among children with CP. However, there is a paucity of research investigating the underlying mechanisms responsible for improving postural control during HR. What are the three-dimensional biomechanical responses of the trunk and pelvis during HR among children with CP and with typical development (TD)? The participants, aged 4-12 years old, were inexperienced horseback riders, consisting of 10 children with TD and 10 children with spastic diplegia C...
Brady HA, James CR, Dendy DW, Irwin TA, Thompson LD, Camp TM.This study examined the effects of 15 sessions of hippotherapy (HPOT) on gross motor skills in children (aged 2-3 years) with gross motor developmental delay (DD) (n = 11) in comparison with age-based controls without DD (n = 6). Gross motor skills in both groups were assessed with the Battelle Developmental Inventory 2nd Edition, and gait parameters were measured using a computerized gait analysis system prestudy and poststudy. The DD group took part in 15 sessions of HPOT, and the control (CON) group did not participate in any equine activities. The statistical analysis examined preinterv...
Park IK, Lee JY, Suk MH, Yoo S, Seo YG, Oh JK, Kwon JY. Children with cerebral palsy (CP) have an impaired cardiac autonomic function. Attenuated heart rate recovery (HRR), which is a valuable prognostic parameter for autonomic nervous system, is known to be associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality. However, only few studies have observed the effects of exercise on the cardiac autonomic function in children with CP. The purpose of this pilot study was to examine the effects of equine-assisted activity (EAA) program on cardiac autonomic function in children with CP. A single-blinded, parallel, two-arm pilo...
Matusiak-Wieczorek E, Dziankowska-Zaborszczyk E, Synder M, Borowski A.The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of hippotherapy (therapy with horses) on posture and body function among children with cerebral palsy. A case-control study included forty-five children aged 6-12 years, classified as Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) level I or II, with spastic diplegia or hemiplegia. The participants were randomly divided into three groups: study I (n = 15), study II (n = 15) and control (n = 15). The children from the study groups attended 30min hippotherapy sessions for 12 consecutive weeks, twice (study group I) or once (study group II...
Collado-Mateo D, Lavín-Pérez AM, Fuentes García JP, García-Gordillo MÁ, Villafaina S.Background and objectives: Chronic pain is a complex global public health problem that affects the health status, quality of life, activities of daily living, and different work-related variables. Riding a horse may lead to some benefits in chronic pain patients through the improvement of postural control and other biopsychosocial processes. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effects of horse riding (with real or simulated horses) on chronic pain. Materials and methods: A systematic literature search was carried out in accordance with PRISMA guidelines in...
Chinniah H, Natarajan M, Ramanathan R, Ambrose JWF.Horse riding simulator (HRS) is an electronic horse, working under the principles of hippotherapy. It is one of the advanced therapeutic methods to improve postural control and balance in sitting, which could be recommended in the rehabilitation of cerebral palsy if real horses are unavailable. Objective: To investigate the therapeutic effects of HRS on sitting motor function in children with spastic diplegia and evaluate the changes in sitting motor function at different periods of time (4, 8 and 12 weeks). Methods: This study is a randomized controlled trial conducted over a period of 12...
Hennemann S, de Abreu MR.Degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis is the most frequent cause of low back pain and/or sciatica in the elderly patient. Epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical manifestations and testing are reviewed in a wide current bibliographic investigation. The importance of the relationship between clinical presentation and imaging study, especially magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), is emphasized. Prior to treatment indication, it is necessary to identify the precise location of pain, as well as the differential diagnosis between neurological and vascular lameness. Conservative treatment combining medic...
Peters BC, Fields BE, Erdman EA.Objective: The use of equine movement as a therapy tool in a plan of care, or hippotherapy, has grown considerably over the past three decades. However, there is little evidence of safety rates and related practice patterns to guide key stakeholders such as clients, therapists, the health care team, and third-party payers. The purpose of this article is to describe the safety and practice patterns of contemporary use of hippotherapy. Design: A survey was distributed to occupational therapy (OT), physical therapy (PT), and speech-language pathology clinicians who incorporate hippotherapy into t...
Pálsdóttir AM, Gudmundsson M, Grahn P.People with neurological disorders suffer from poor mobility, poor balance, fatigue, isolation and monotonous everyday activities. Studies show that equine-assisted interventions can improve their mobility and balance, but could these kinds of interventions also increase participants' activity repertoire and self-assessed health, and reduce their fatigue? The study was conducted as a prospective, controlled study with three cohorts followed for one year: intervention group ( = 14), control group Passive ( = 29), and control group Active ( = 147). Participants in the study were affected by neur...
Wood WH, Fields BE.Comprehensively and systematically map peer-reviewed studies of hippotherapy published over 30 years, from 1980 through 2018, from the perspective of a phased scientific approach to developing complex interventions as a guide to future research and practice. A systematic mapping review of research of hippotherapy was conducted. Searches of nine databases produced 3,528 unique records; 78 full-text, English-written studies were reviewed, the earliest of which was published in 1998. Data relevant to study aims were extracted electronically from these studies and analyzed using queries and pivot ...
White-Lewis S, Johnson R, Ye S, Russell C.To compare equine-assisted therapy to exercise education on pain, range of motion, and quality of life in adults and older adults with arthritis. Quality of life for adults and older adults is negatively impacted by arthritis pain, stiffness, and decreased function. Equine-assisted therapy provides unique movements to the rider's joints and muscles improving pain, range of motion, and quality of life and has improved outcomes in balance, gait, strength, functional mobility, and spasticity for older adults, stroke, spinal cord injury, and multiple sclerosis patients. No research has investigate...
Moriello G, Terpstra ME, Earl J.: The objective of this case series was to document gross motor function, gait parameter, and bladder control outcomes following physical therapy incorporating hippotherapy in children with Down syndrome (DS). : Four children between three and five years of age received eight-weekly physical therapy sessions incorporating hippotherapy. Outcome measures included the Gross Motor Function Measure-88 (GMFM-88), parental perception of function during every day activities, spatiotemporal parameters of gait and bladder control. : Total change scores on the GMFM-88 exceeded the standardized response m...
Kim T, Lee J, Oh S, Kim S, Yoon B.A simulated horseback riding (SHR) exercise is effective for improvement of pain and functional disability, but its comparative effectiveness with the other is unknown. Objective: The authors aimed to demonstrate the effect of a SHR exercise in people with chronic low back pain. Methods: A randomized controlled trial. Methods: Community and university campus. Methods: A total of 48 participants with chronic low back pain were divided into 2 groups, and SHR exercises (n = 24) or stabilization (STB) exercises (n = 24) were performed. Methods: The exercises were performed for 30 minutes, 2 days p...
Kraft KA, Weisberg J, Finch MD, Nickel A, Griffin KH, Barnes TL.This report assesses functional mobility in children with neurological impairments and documented gross motor delays, before and after receiving either hippotherapy or standard outpatient physical therapy (PT). This is a case-series report using data previously collected for a discontinued randomized controlled trial, in which participants received hippotherapy or standard outpatient clinic PT for a 12-week treatment period. Results demonstrated both subjective and objective functional mobility improvements after treatment in participants receiving hippotherapy and standard outpatient PT, as d...
Human movement scienceNovember 30, 2018
Volume 63 82-95 doi: 10.1016/j.humov.2018.11.007
Goodworth AD, Barrett C, Rylander J, Garner B.As perturbation training is gaining popularity, it is important to better understand postural control during complex three-dimensional stimuli. One clinically relevant and commonly used three-dimensional stimulus is found in hippotherapy and simulated hippotherapy on a mechanical horse. We tested nine healthy participants on a horse simulator, measured head and trunk kinematics, and characterized data in time (root-mean-square and variability) and frequency (amplitude spectra, gains, and phases) domains. We addressed three fundamental questions: 1) What is the specificity of postural responses...
To evaluate the effect of hippotherapy (physical therapy utilizing the movement of a horse) on muscle activity in children with spastic cerebral palsy. Methods: Pretest/post-test control group. Methods: Therapeutic Riding of Tucson (TROT), Tucson, AZ. Methods: Fifteen (15) children ranging from 4 to 12 years of age diagnosed with spastic cerebral palsy. Methods: Children meeting inclusion criteria were randomized to either 8 minutes of hippotherapy or 8 minutes astride a stationary barrel. Methods: Remote surface electromyography (EMG) was used to measure muscle activity of the trunk and upper...
Shurtleff TL, Standeven JW, Engsberg JR.To determine if hippotherapy (therapy using a horse) improves head/trunk stability and upper extremity (UE) reaching/targeting in children with spastic diplegia cerebral palsy (SDCP). Methods: Pre-postoperative follow-up with a 12-week intervention and 12-week washout period after intervention. Methods: A human performance laboratory with 6 camera video motion capture systems for testing. Methods: Eleven children (age 5-13y, average 8y) with SDCP, 8 children (age 5-13y, average 8y) without disabilities. Methods: Hippotherapy intervention performed at 3 therapeutic horseback riding centers. Met...
Sterba JA, Rogers BT, France AP, Vokes DA.The effects of recreational horseback riding therapy (HBRT) on gross motor function in children with cerebral palsy (CP: spastic diplegia, spastic quadriplegia, and spastic hemiplegia) were determined in a blinded study using the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM). Seventeen participants (nine females, eight males; mean age 9 years 10 months, SE 10 months) served as their own control. Their mean Gross Motor Function Classification System score was 2.7 (SD 0.4; range 1 to 5). HBRT was 1 hour per week for three riding sessions of 6 weeks per session (18 weeks). GMFM was determined every 6 weeks...
Bertoti DB.The purpose of this study was to measure postural changes in children with spastic cerebral palsy after participation in a therapeutic horseback riding program. Eleven children with moderate to severe spastic cerebral palsy, aged 2 years 4 months to 9 years 6 months, were selected for this study and underwent postural assessments according to a repeated-measures design. Assessment of posture was performed by a panel of three pediatric physical therapists, using a postural assessment scale designed by the author. A composite score for each test interval was calculated for each child, and a medi...
Lechner HE, Kakebeeke TH, Hegemann D, Baumberger M.To determine the effect of hippotherapy on spasticity and on mental well-being of persons with spinal cord injury (SCI), and to compare it with the effects of other interventions. Methods: Crossover trial with 4 conditions. Methods: Swiss paraplegic center. Methods: A volunteer sample of 12 people with spastic SCI (American Spinal Injury Association grade A or B). Methods: Hippotherapy, sitting astride a Bobath roll, and sitting on a stool with rocking seat. Each session lasted 25 minutes and was conducted twice weekly for 4 weeks; the control condition was spasticity measurement without inter...
McGibbon NH, Andrade CK, Widener G, Cintas HL.The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of an 8-week program of hippotherapy on energy expenditure during walking; on the gait dimensions of stride length, velocity, and cadence; and on performance on the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM) in five children with spastic cerebral palsy (CP). A repeated-measures within-subjects design was used consisting of two baseline measurements taken 8 weeks apart, followed by an 8-week intervention period, then a posttest. After hippotherapy, all five children showed a significant decrease (X2(r)=7.6, P<0.05) in energy expenditure during walk...
Meregillano G.Hippotherapy refers to the use of the movement of the horse asa treatment tool by physical therapists, occupational therapists,and speech-language therapists to address impairments, functional limitations, and disabilities in clients with neuromusculoskeletal dysfunction, such as cerebral palsy. Hippotherapy is used as part of an integrated treatment program to achieve functional outcomes. Hippotherapy engages the client in activities on the horse that are enjoyable and challenging. In the controlled hippotherapyenvironment, the therapist modifies the horse's movement and carefully grades sens...
Silkwood-Sherer D, Warmbier H.The purpose of this pilot study was to examine the effectiveness of hippotherapy as an intervention for the treatment of postural instability in individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS). Methods: A sample of convenience of 15 individuals with MS (24-72 years) were recruited from support groups and assessed for balance deficits. Methods: This study was a nonequivalent pretest-posttest comparison group design. Nine individuals (4 males, 5 females) received weekly hippotherapy intervention for 14 weeks. The other 6 individuals (2 males, 4 females) served as a comparison group. All participants we...
Shurtleff TL, Engsberg JR.Hippotherapy (HPOT) is a therapy that uses horse movement. This pilot investigation objectively evaluated the efficacy of HPOT in improving head/trunk stability in children with cerebral palsy (CP). The participants were six children with spastic diplegia and six children without disability. Head and trunk stability was challenged by using a motorized barrel and measured by a video motion capture system before and after a 12-week intervention of 45 min of HPOT a week. The variables measured were anterior-posterior (AP) translation of the head, and spine at five points and average AP head angle...
Human movement scienceApril 29, 2009
Volume 28, Issue 3 387-393 doi: 10.1016/j.humov.2009.04.001
Janura M, Peham C, Dvorakova T, Elfmark M.Hippotherapy employs locomotion impulses that are emitted from the back of a horse while the horse is walking. These impulses stimulate the rider's postural reflex mechanisms, resulting in training of balance and coordination. The aim of the present study was to assess the changes in magnitude and distribution of the contact pressure between the rider and the horse during a series of hippotherapy lessons. The monitored group, consisting of four healthy women (mean age 22.75 years, mean body weight 59.75 kg, mean height 167.25 cm) without any previous horse riding experience, received five 20 m...
Dursun E, Dursun N, Alican D.In this study our aim was to evaluate the effectiveness of Ankle-Foot Orthoses (AFOs) on gait function in patients with spastic cerebral palsy for whom orthoses were indicated to control dynamic equines deformity. Methods: Twenty-four spastic cerebral palsied patients with dynamic equines deformity were included in the study. Videotape recordings were performed to each patient on the same day with barefoot and AFOs. Temporal distance factors including velocity, cadence, stride length, stride width and Clinical Gait Assessment Score (CGAS) were compared across two conditions. Results: The use o...
Collado-Mateo D, Lavín-Pérez AM, Fuentes García JP, García-Gordillo MÁ, Villafaina S.Background and objectives: Chronic pain is a complex global public health problem that affects the health status, quality of life, activities of daily living, and different work-related variables. Riding a horse may lead to some benefits in chronic pain patients through the improvement of postural control and other biopsychosocial processes. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effects of horse riding (with real or simulated horses) on chronic pain. Materials and methods: A systematic literature search was carried out in accordance with PRISMA guidelines in...
Wood WH, Fields BE.Comprehensively and systematically map peer-reviewed studies of hippotherapy published over 30 years, from 1980 through 2018, from the perspective of a phased scientific approach to developing complex interventions as a guide to future research and practice. A systematic mapping review of research of hippotherapy was conducted. Searches of nine databases produced 3,528 unique records; 78 full-text, English-written studies were reviewed, the earliest of which was published in 1998. Data relevant to study aims were extracted electronically from these studies and analyzed using queries and pivot ...
Kim T, Lee J, Oh S, Kim S, Yoon B.A simulated horseback riding (SHR) exercise is effective for improvement of pain and functional disability, but its comparative effectiveness with the other is unknown. Objective: The authors aimed to demonstrate the effect of a SHR exercise in people with chronic low back pain. Methods: A randomized controlled trial. Methods: Community and university campus. Methods: A total of 48 participants with chronic low back pain were divided into 2 groups, and SHR exercises (n = 24) or stabilization (STB) exercises (n = 24) were performed. Methods: The exercises were performed for 30 minutes, 2 days p...
Human movement scienceNovember 28, 2014
Volume 39 121-137 doi: 10.1016/j.humov.2014.06.011
Garner BA, Rigby BR.A prevailing rationale for equine assisted therapies is that the motion of a horse can provide sensory stimulus and movement patterns that mimic those of natural human activities such as walking. The purpose of this study was to quantitatively measure and compare human pelvis motions when walking to those when riding a horse. Six able-bodied children (inexperienced riders, 8-12years old) participated in over-ground trials of self-paced walking and leader-paced riding on four different horses. Five kinematic measures were extracted from three-dimensional pelvis motion data: anteroposterior, sup...
Hession CE, Eastwood B, Watterson D, Lehane CM, Oxley N, Murphy BA.The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of the physical motion of a horse (riding therapy) combined with the audiovisual perception of this motion on a group of children with dyspraxia in terms of cognition, mood arousal, and gait variability. Methods: The study design was a pretest/post-test. Methods: The study was conducted at the Fettercairn Youth Horse Project, Fettercairn, Tallaght, Dublin. Methods: Forty (40) children ranging from 6 to 15 years of age with a primary diagnosis of dyspraxia were the study subjects. Methods: Children meeting inclusion criteria participated...
Homnick DN, Henning KM, Swain CV, Homnick TD.Falls are an important cause of morbidity in older adults. Equine-assisted activities including therapeutic riding (TR) benefit balance and neuromuscular control in patients with neurological disabilities but have not been systematically studied in older adults at greater risk for falls due to balance deficits. The effect of an 8-week TR program on measures of balance and quality of life in community-dwelling older adults with established balance deficits was evaluated. Methods: This was a pretest-post-test single-group trial of a TR program on measures of balance and quality of life. Methods:...
Encheff JL, Armstrong C, Masterson M, Fox C, Gribble P.This study investigated the effects of a 10-week hippotherapy program on trunk, pelvis, and hip joint positioning during the stance phase of gait. Methods: Eleven children (6 boys and 5 girls; 7.9 ± 2.7 years) with neurological disorders and impaired ambulation participated. Joint range of motion data were collected via 3-dimensional computerized gait analysis before and after the program. Paired t tests were performed on kinematic data for each joint. Results: Significant improvements (P ≤ .008) and large effect sizes (ESs) for sagittal plane hip positions at initial contact and toe-off we...
Chinniah H, Natarajan M, Ramanathan R, Ambrose JWF.Horse riding simulator (HRS) is an electronic horse, working under the principles of hippotherapy. It is one of the advanced therapeutic methods to improve postural control and balance in sitting, which could be recommended in the rehabilitation of cerebral palsy if real horses are unavailable. Objective: To investigate the therapeutic effects of HRS on sitting motor function in children with spastic diplegia and evaluate the changes in sitting motor function at different periods of time (4, 8 and 12 weeks). Methods: This study is a randomized controlled trial conducted over a period of 12...
Håkanson M, Möller M, Lindström I, Mattsson B.A total of 24 patients, considerably disabled in daily activities by back pain, participated in an Equine Assisted Therapy (EAT) programme. The patients also had several health problems in addition to their current pain. The programme emphasised the principles of body awareness. The study is aimed at investigating not only whether symptom reduction would be achieved, but also at identifying qualities of EAT that were particularly beneficial for the patients' well being. The study was performed according to action research principles. The treatment reduced the pain and lessened other symptoms. ...
Clayton HM, Kaiser LJ, Lavagnino M, Stubbs NC.To identify differences in intersegmental bending angles in the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar portions of the vertebral column between the end positions during performance of 3 dynamic mobilization exercises in cervical lateral bending in horses. Methods: 8 nonlame horses. Methods: Skin-fixed markers on the head, cervical transverse processes (C1-C6) and spinous processes (T6, T8, T10, T16, L2, L6, S2, and S4) were tracked with a motion analysis system with the horses standing in a neutral position and in 3 lateral bending positions to the left and right sides during chin-to-girth, chin-to-hi...
Hamill D, Washington KA, White OR.The purpose of this single subject research study was to examine the effects of a once weekly, 10-week hippotherapy program for three children, ages 27-54 months, with cerebral palsy. Participants were rated as Level V on the Gross Motor Function Classification System. The Sitting Dimension of the Gross Motor Function Measure was used to establish a baseline of sitting abilities, and was administered every 2 weeks during intervention. The Sitting Assessment Scale and the Gross Motor Function Measure were administered before, after, and 4 weeks postintervention. Parental perceptions of the hipp...
Clayton HM, Kaiser LJ, de Pue B, Kaiser L.We compared anteroposterior and mediolateral range of motion and velocity of the center of pressure (COP) on the horse's back between riders without disabilities and riders with cerebral palsy. An electronic pressure mat was used to track COP movements beneath the saddle in 4 riders without disabilities and 4 riders with cerebral palsy. Comparisons between rider groups were made using the Mann-Whitney test (p < .05). The two rider groups differed significantly in anteroposterior range of COP motion, mediolateral range of COP motion, and mediolateral COP velocity. Anteroposterior COP velocit...
Figueiredo EA, Belangero PS, Cohen C, Louchard RL, Terra BB, Pochini AC, Andreoli CV, Cohen M, Ejnisman B.The aim of this study was to describe epidemiological data and evaluate the clinical results of traumatic anterior glenohumeral instability in rodeo athletes. Methods: Thirteen patients, all male, with a mean age of 23.2 (18-31) years old, with anterior glenohumeral instability were include in this study. In 9 patients, the right side was affected. The mean time elapsed between injury and undergoing surgery was 56 months (24-120 months). The surgical technique used (arthroscopic or open bone block procedure) was chosen based on the ISIS (Instability Severity Index Score). Only professional ath...
Chang HJ, Jung YG, Park YS, O SH, Kim DH, Kim CW.The horse riding simulator (HRS) reportedly has a beneficial effect on motor function and balance in children with cerebral palsy (CP). However, by itself, the HRS is not a sufficient source of challenge and motivation for children. To address this issue, we combined the HRS with virtual reality (VR) to promote somatosensory stimulation and motivation. Sixteen children (ages: 5-17 years) with CP and presenting Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) levels I-IV were enrolled in the study. Using a head-mounted display and controllers, interventions were carried out over 30-min period...
Pohl P, Carlsson G, Bunketorp Käll L, Nilsson M, Blomstrand C.Multimodal rehabilitation interventions delivered in late phase of stroke recovery involve physical (motor and sensory), social, and cognitively challenging activities. Horseback riding can be incorporated within such interventions, leading to meaningful long-term improvements when applied to individuals with moderate levels of disability. There is a lack of research illuminating stroke survivors' experiences and perceptions of horseback riding in the context of multimodal interventions. To explore stroke survivors' experiences of participation in a multimodal group-based intervention that inc...
Jung YG, Chang HJ, Jo ES, Kim DH.This study aimed to evaluate the effect of a horse-riding simulator (HRS) with virtual reality (VR) on gross motor function, balance control, and body composition in children with spastic cerebral palsy (CP). Seventeen preschool and school-aged children with spastic CP were included; 10 children in the intervention group (HRS group) received 30 min of HRS with VR training twice a week for a total of 16 sessions in addition to conventional physiotherapy. Seven children in the control group were instructed to perform home-based aerobic exercises twice a week for 8 weeks in addition to convention...
Matusiak-Wieczorek E, Dziankowska-Zaborszczyk E, Synder M, Borowski A.The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of hippotherapy (therapy with horses) on posture and body function among children with cerebral palsy. A case-control study included forty-five children aged 6-12 years, classified as Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) level I or II, with spastic diplegia or hemiplegia. The participants were randomly divided into three groups: study I (n = 15), study II (n = 15) and control (n = 15). The children from the study groups attended 30min hippotherapy sessions for 12 consecutive weeks, twice (study group I) or once (study group II...
