Effect of therapeutic horseback riding on balance in community-dwelling older adults with balance deficits.
Abstract: 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: The study was conducted at a Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship (PATH) International Premier riding center. Methods: The subjects comprised 9 adults (5 female, 4 males) with a mean age 76.4 years (range 71-83 years). Methods: This included an 8-week observation period followed by an 8-week TR program consisting of 1 hour per week of supervised horseback riding and an 8-week follow-up period. SUBJECTS received balance testing at weeks 0, 8, 16, and 24 using the Fullerton Advanced Balance Scale (FABS), and quality of life was measured at weeks 8 and 16 using the Rand SF (short form) 36 quality-of-life measure. Methods: OUTCOME MEASURES were change in the FABS and Rand SF 36. Results: There was no significant difference in balance scores between the start and end of the observation period. There was a significant improvement in the balance score and perception of general health from the start to the end of the intervention period, and no significant difference between the end of the intervention and the end of study, suggesting that improvements may have been sustained. Conclusions: TR is a safe activity for older adults with mild to moderate balance deficits and leads to both improvements in balance and quality of life. Longer and larger studies to assess the benefit of equine-assisted activities on improvements in balance and reduction in fall risk are needed.
Publication Date: 2013-01-29 PubMed ID: 23360659DOI: 10.1089/acm.2012.0642Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research article investigates the impact of a therapeutic horseback riding (TR) program on balance and quality of life in older adults who have balance issues. The study found that the TR program significantly improved balance scores and perceptions of general health, potentially reducing the risk of falls in this population.
Study Overview
- The study was a pretest-posttest single-group trial that sought to explore the effects of a therapeutic horseback riding program on balance and quality of life in older adults having existing balance difficulties.
- The participants were nine community-dwelling adults—consisting of five females and four males—with an average age of 76.4 years and known balance deficits.
- The program spanned 24 weeks, starting with an 8-week observational period, followed by an 8-week TR program which included one hour of supervised horseback riding per week, concluding with an 8-week follow-up period.
- The program used balance testing methods at 0, 8, 16, and 24-week intervals using the Fullerton Advanced Balance Scale (FABS). The quality of life was measured at weeks 8 and 16 with the use of the Rand SF 36 quality-of-life measure.
Key Findings
- There was no notable change detected in balance scores from the start to the end of the initial 8-week observation period
- At the end of the TR program, significant progress was noted in the participant’s balance scores and general health perception
- There was no significant difference in balance and health perception registered between the end of the TR program and the end of the complete study, indicating that the improvements gained might have been sustained over the follow-up period.
Study Conclusions
- The TR program was deemed a safe activity suitable for older adults with mild to moderate balance deficits
- The program was effective in enhancing balance and perceived quality of life in the participants
- However, the research calls for more comprehensive and large-scale studies to further examine the utility of equine-assisted activities in improving balance and lowering fall risk in older adults.
Cite This Article
APA
Homnick DN, Henning KM, Swain CV, Homnick TD.
(2013).
Effect of therapeutic horseback riding on balance in community-dwelling older adults with balance deficits.
J Altern Complement Med, 19(7), 622-626.
https://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2012.0642 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Western Michigan University School of Medicine, Kalamazoo, MI 49008, USA. douglas.homnick@med.wmich.edu
MeSH Terms
- Aged
- Aged, 80 and over
- Equine-Assisted Therapy / methods
- Female
- Follow-Up Studies
- Humans
- Independent Living
- Male
- Nervous System Diseases / diagnosis
- Nervous System Diseases / rehabilitation
- Neurologic Examination
- Neuromuscular Diseases / diagnosis
- Neuromuscular Diseases / rehabilitation
- Postural Balance
- Quality of Life
- Treatment Outcome
Citations
This article has been cited 7 times.- Badin L, Alibran É, Pothier K, Bailly N. Effects of equine-assisted interventions on older adults' health: A systematic review. Int J Nurs Sci 2022 Oct;9(4):542-552.
- Abdel-Aziem AA, Abdelraouf OR, Ghally SA, Dahlawi HA, Radwan RE. A 10-Week Program of Combined Hippotherapy and Scroth's Exercises Improves Balance and Postural Asymmetries in Adolescence Idiopathic Scoliosis: A Randomized Controlled Study. Children (Basel) 2021 Dec 30;9(1).
- White-Lewis S. Equine-assisted therapies using horses as healers: A concept analysis. Nurs Open 2020 Jan;7(1):58-67.
- Pohl P, Carlsson G, Bunketorp Käll L, Nilsson M, Blomstrand C. A qualitative exploration of post-acute stroke participants' experiences of a multimodal intervention incorporating horseback riding. PLoS One 2018;13(9):e0203933.
- Funakoshi R, Masuda K, Uchiyama H, Ohta M. A possible mechanism of horseback riding on dynamic trunk alignment. Heliyon 2018 Sep;4(9):e00777.
- Weese JS. Infection control and biosecurity in equine disease control. Equine Vet J 2014 Nov;46(6):654-60.
- Badin L, Pothier K, Agli O, Van Dendaele E, Guillou G, Ventalon G, Bailly N. Equine-Assisted Interventions and Physical Health in Older Adults: A Meta-Analysis. Sage Open Aging 2025 Jan-Dec;11:23337214241298342.
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