Effects of Equine-Assisted Therapies or Horse-Riding Simulators on Chronic Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Abstract: 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 Web of Science (WOS) and PubMed (Medline) electronic databases. Eleven articles (seven randomized controlled trials) were selected to be included in the review. Due to some risk of bias concerns, two meta-analyses (using postintervention or change-from-baseline measures) were conducted utilizing Review Manager Software (RevMan 5.3). Results: Horse-riding simulators significantly reduced the pain levels of patients with low back pain (p = 0.03, with a SMD of -1.14 and a 95% CI from -2.16 to -0.11) using change-from-baseline measures. However, the p-value in the meta-analysis with the postintervention measures was 0.06. Regarding interventions with real horses, it was not possible to conduct a meta-analysis due to the low number of studies. Conclusion: Horse riding could be a useful exercise to reduce pain, but more studies are needed to make evidence-based recommendations and to compare the effects of horse-riding with real and simulated horses.
Publication Date: 2020-08-31 PubMed ID: 32878327PubMed Central: PMC7557603DOI: 10.3390/medicina56090444Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Meta-Analysis
- Systematic Review
Summary
This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.
This research studies the impact of horse-riding, be it real or simulated, in alleviating chronic pain. Through meticulous analysis and the application of standardized procedures for scrutinizing studies, it concluded that simulated horse-riding particularly can lessen the pain experienced by patients with chronic back pain, while the evidence supporting the advantages of actual horse-riding is still insufficient.
Research Methodology
- The researchers performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to fully understand the effects of equine-assisted therapies. This methodology allowed them to compare and synthesize the results of different studies on the topic.
- They conducted a comprehensive literature search adhering to PRISMA guidelines. PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) is an evidence-based set of items designed to help improve transparency in systematic review studies.
- Two major electronic databases for academic literature, Web of Science (WOS) and PubMed (Medline), were employed to source relevant articles. Eleven articles, seven of which were randomized controlled trials, satisfied the criteria for inclusion in the review.
Statistical Analysis
- For determining the outcomes, postintervention or change-from-baseline measures were subjected to two separate meta-analyses.
- Review Manager Software (RevMan 5.3) facilitated these in-depth analyses recognizing possible risk bias in the selected papers.
Results of the Meta-Analysis
- Simulated horse-riding significantly reduced pain levels in patients suffering from low back pain. This conclusion was drawn from the change-from-baseline measurements (-1.14 standard mean difference with a statistical significance of p = 0.03).
- However, the postintervention measurements did not fully support this finding, presenting a slightly less significant value (p = 0.06).
- The study did not yield enough data to perform a reasonable meta-analysis on interventions with real horses.
Conclusions
- The study put forth that horse-riding could potentially function as a beneficial exercise to manage pain.
- Albeit, the lack of sufficient studies especially regarding real horse-riding necessitates further research for making evidence-based recommendations on the topic and to compare the effects of real and simulated horse-riding.
Cite This Article
APA
Collado-Mateo D, Lavín-Pérez AM, Fuentes García JP, García-Gordillo MÁ, Villafaina S.
(2020).
Effects of Equine-Assisted Therapies or Horse-Riding Simulators on Chronic Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Medicina (Kaunas), 56(9).
https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina56090444 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Centre for Sport Studies, Rey Juan Carlos University, Fuenlabrada, 28943 Madrid, Spain.
- Centre for Sport Studies, Rey Juan Carlos University, Fuenlabrada, 28943 Madrid, Spain.
- Physical Activity and Quality of Life Research Group (AFYCAV), Faculty of Sport Science, University of Extremadura, Cáceres, 10003 Extremadura, Spain.
- Facultad de Administración y Negocios, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Talca 3467987, Chile.
- Physical Activity and Quality of Life Research Group (AFYCAV), Faculty of Sport Science, University of Extremadura, Cáceres, 10003 Extremadura, Spain.
MeSH Terms
- Activities of Daily Living
- Animals
- Chronic Pain / therapy
- Equine-Assisted Therapy
- Horses
- Humans
- Postural Balance
- Quality of Life
Conflict of Interest Statement
The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, or in the decision to publish the results.
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