Hippotherapy effects on trunk, pelvic, and hip motion during ambulation in children with neurological impairments.

The study looks into the impact of a 10-week hippotherapy program, a type of therapy involving horses, on the trunk, pelvis, and hip placement of children with neurological conditions impairing their walking. It shows positive results primarily in the hip position at two stages of walking: initial contact and toe-off.

Methodology of the Study

• Eleven participants were involved in the study, comprising of six boys and five girls, with an average age of 7.9 years and various neurological disorders affecting their ability to walk.
• A 3D computerized gait analysis was conducted to collect joint range of motion data both before and after they underwent a 10-week hippotherapy program.
• Afterwards, paired t-tests were done on the collected kinematic data for each joint to determine any significant changes.

Results of the Study

• There were significant improvements (P ≤ .008) in hip positions at initial contact and toe-off in the sagittal plane, signalling a large effect size.
• Although there was no evidence of changes in the positioning of the trunk and pelvis, the study did show a trend toward improvement in the position of the pelvis within the sagittal plane, also with a large effect size.
• Several trunk variables showed a trend towards a more upright positioning, although the effect size was moderate.

Conclusions of the Study

• As a result, the study concludes that these improvements in the hip and pelvic joint positioning and the trend towards a more upright trunk position may point to enhanced postural control during walking after the participants underwent 10 sessions of hippotherapy.

The study suggests that hippotherapy may be a useful intervention in improving gait issues in children with neurological impairments. Further studies could deepen understanding of how the therapy contributes to these improvements and to establish its effectiveness beyond the scope of this study.