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Journal of clinical medicine2021; 10(12); 2589; doi: 10.3390/jcm10122589

Role and Effects of Hippotherapy in the Treatment of Children with Cerebral Palsy: A Systematic Review of the Literature.

Abstract: Cerebral palsy is described as a group of permanent neuromotor-type disorders caused by non-progressive injuries in the developmental stages of the central nervous system, and which have serious repercussions on the quality of life of affected children due to the physical and psychological damage it entails for them. Today, it is the leading cause of physical disability in childhood. Since there is no cure for this disorder, treatment is based on the improvement of symptoms, which is not always achieved through conventional therapies. For this reason, the need arises to investigate other alternative therapies, such as hippotherapy, to determine the main effects of hippotherapy as a rehabilitation therapy in children with cerebral palsy. The review was performed in accordance with the criteria of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) protocol and was registered under the number CRD42021233003. The databases used were PubMed, Dialnet and the web browser Google Scholar. After applying the inclusion criteria, we included 11 articles. As a conclusion, we found that hippotherapy provides benefits at physical, psychological, cognitive and social levels in children with cerebral palsy, and thus it should be considered as a complementary rehabilitation therapy to conventional treatments.
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Publication Date: 2021-06-11 PubMed ID: 34208206PubMed Central: PMC8230898DOI: 10.3390/jcm10122589Google Scholar: Lookup
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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.

The study is a systematic review that investigates the role and effects of hippotherapy—the therapeutic use of horse riding—as a treatment for children with cerebral palsy, a neurological disorder that affects movement and muscle tone. The review suggests that hippotherapy can provide physical, psychological, cognitive, and social benefits for these children.

Objective of the Study

  • The main aim of the study was to explore alternative therapies for cerebral palsy, more specifically, hippotherapy.
  • To investigate the prime effects of hippotherapy as a potential rehabilitation therapy for children suffering from cerebral palsy.

Methodology

  • The review was performed following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) protocol, ensuring a comprehensive and systematic process.
  • Various databases such as PubMed, Dialnet, and Google Scholar were accessed to gather articles relevant to the topic.
  • After careful evaluation based on the study’s pre-defined inclusion criteria, a total of 11 articles were included in the review.

Results and Conclusion

  • This study concluded that hippotherapy can provide multifaceted benefits for children with cerebral palsy.
  • Physically, it can aid in improving mobility and muscle coordination. Psychologically, it can boost self-esteem and emotional well-being.
  • Cognitively, it can enhance focus and learning abilities. Socially, interacting with horses and the involvement in such activities can improve social skills.
  • Therefore, the researchers suggest that therapists and medical professionals should consider integrating hippotherapy as a complementary treatment strategy along with conventional treatments for cerebral palsy in children.

Cite This Article

APA
Menor-Rodríguez MJ, Sevilla Martín M, Sánchez-García JC, Montiel-Troya M, Cortés-Martín J, Rodríguez-Blanque R. (2021). Role and Effects of Hippotherapy in the Treatment of Children with Cerebral Palsy: A Systematic Review of the Literature. J Clin Med, 10(12), 2589. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm10122589

Publication

Journal of clinical medicine
ISSN: 2077-0383
NlmUniqueID: 101606588
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 10
Issue: 12
PII: 2589

Researcher Affiliations

Menor-Rodríguez, María José
  • Research Group CTS367, E.U.E. Campus Ourense, University of Vigo, 32616 Ourense, Spain.
Sevilla Martín, Mar
  • Area Sanitaria Ourense-Verín-Barco de Valdeorras, 32800 Ourense, Spain.
Sánchez-García, Juan Carlos
  • Research Group CTS1068, JMADOC, School of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain.
Montiel-Troya, María
  • Research Group CTS1068, School of Nursing Ceuta Campus, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Granada, 51001 Ceuta, Spain.
Cortés-Martín, Jonathan
  • Research Group CTS1068, Hospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves, 18014 Granada, Spain.
Rodríguez-Blanque, Raquel
  • Research Group CTS1068, Distrito Sanitario Granada-Metropolitano, 18013 Granada, Spain.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Citations

This article has been cited 11 times.
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