Changes in trunk postural control with different types of mounts with relevance for hippotherapy.

Overview

• This study investigated how different types of riding equipment and body positioning affect trunk postural control in children with typical development during hippotherapy sessions.
• The research measured trunk movements to understand how variations in mounts (saddle vs. blanket) and the positions of hands and feet influence postural stability while riding.

Introduction and Background

• Hippotherapy is a therapeutic approach that uses horseback riding movements to improve physical functions, particularly balance and posture.
• Besides the intrinsic movement of the horse, therapeutic effects depend on the riding equipment (e.g., saddle or blanket) and how the individual is positioned on the horse.
• The trunk’s ability to maintain posture is crucial for balance and stability during riding, and manipulating equipment or body position may adjust the therapeutic challenge.
• Understanding how normative children respond to these changes informs therapeutic strategies for populations requiring hippotherapy.

Study Objectives

• To quantify dynamic trunk postural control in children with neurotypical development during hippotherapy sessions.
• To evaluate the effects of different types of mounting equipment — saddle versus blanket — on trunk stability.
• To assess how the positioning of hands (resting on straps vs. thighs) and feet (supported on stirrups vs. free) influence trunk oscillations.

Methods

• Participants: Fifteen children (ages 6-12 years) with typical neurological development, including both boys and girls.
• Intervention: Each child participated in a hippotherapy session with controlled variations in equipment and body positioning.
• Measures: Trunk postural control was assessed using a portable inertial measurement system tracking lumbar (L5) and thoracic (T5) segment oscillations.
• Parameters recorded included mean amplitudes of oscillation along three planes:
  • Mediolateral (side to side)
  • Anteroposterior (front to back)
  • Rotational
• Conditions tested:
  • Types of riding equipment: saddle versus blanket
  • Hand positioning: on handles (straps) versus resting on thighs
  • Feet positioning: free versus supported on stirrups

Results

• The most notable differences were observed in the mediolateral trunk oscillations in both lumbar and thoracic regions.
• Using the blanket instead of the saddle resulted in significantly higher lateral oscillations when the hands rested on the handles and feet were supported on stirrups.
• When using the blanket with feet in stirrups, hand positioning mattered:
  • Hands on handles produced higher mediolateral oscillations compared to hands on thighs.
• No significant differences were reported for anteroposterior or rotational oscillations under these conditions.

Conclusions and Implications

• The blanket as a mounting surface creates a less stable base than the saddle, increasing lateral trunk sway during riding.
• Hand positioning on the handles amplifies mediolateral trunk movements, especially when combined with blanket mounting and feet supported in stirrups.
• These findings suggest that therapists could manipulate equipment and positioning to either challenge or support trunk postural control during hippotherapy.
• Increased oscillations may represent higher demands on trunk stability, which might be therapeutically beneficial for improving balance control.
• The study provides normative data on how neurotypical children respond to these variations, which can guide tailored interventions for children with postural control difficulties.

Keywords

• Balance
• Stability
• Children
• Hippotherapy
• Kinematics