Cardiorespiratory and biomechanical responses to simulated recreational horseback riding in healthy children.

This study investigates how simulated horseback riding affects the heart, respiratory system, and pelvic movements in healthy children. Its findings indicate that this activity produces consistent cardiorespiratory responses and pelvic kinematics, and these physiological responses are less intense than those triggered by slow treadmill walking.

Overview of Study and Methods

• The goal was to assess the consistency of cardiorespiratory (heart and lung function) and pelvic movement responses to simulated horseback riding (SHBR) in healthy children, and relate these responses to those while walking.
• The researchers used a commercial simulator to carry out this experiment. The study involved 15 healthy children, with an average age of 9.5 years.
• The children completed SHBR sessions at two intensity levels, low (0.27 Hz) and high (0.65 Hz), on three separate occasions.
• The team measured heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory gases at rest, and during the exercise at both intensity levels. They also recorded pelvic displacement during the exercise.
• They also calculated the rate of energy expenditure, mean arterial pressure, and rate pressure product (RPP).
• To compare the physiological responses to SHBR, participants were also made to walk on a treadmill at varying speeds but with no inclination.

Findings

• The physiological measurements taken during all three SHBR sessions were similar at both intensity levels.
• Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) and coefficients of variation indicating how different values in the data set are from the mean, demonstrated reliable cardiorespiritory measures during SHBR.
• The results also showed increased physiological responses at a higher intensity, except for heart rate, where responses were 2% to 19% larger, and pelvic displacement up to 37% greater.
• Treadmill walking led to more significant physiological responses compared to SHBR at all speed levels.

Conclusions

Simulated horseback riding provides repeatable results on cardiorespiratory responses and pelvic kinematics in younger children. Notably, these physiological responses were milder in comparison to those induced by slow treadmill walking. Such findings might be beneficial in planning comfortable and effective fitness activities for children. The repeatability of the responses also suggests the potential for consistent training effects with SHBR.