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Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)2022; 10(3); 561; doi: 10.3390/healthcare10030561

The Effectiveness of Equine Therapy Intervention on Activities of Daily Living, Quality of Life, Mood, Balance and Gait in Individuals with Parkinson’s Disease.

Abstract: The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of equine therapy (ET) to detect changes in the activities of daily living, quality of life, mood, balance, and gait in individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD). Methods: In the study, 17 participants with PD were recruited to participate in 10 sessions of ET. The inclusion criteria of the study were: second and third stages of the Hoehn and Yahr scale, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) greater than or equal to 24 points, and age up to 85 years. The outcome measures administered at the beginning and the end of treatment relied on measurements from the Rivermead ADL scale, Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire-39 (PDQ-39), Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), unified Parkinson's disease rating scale (UPDRS), and Tinetti balance assessment. Data from the stabilometric platform were also collected to objectify the value obtained by the Tinetti balance assessment. The ET program included 10 biweekly 45 min sessions. Results: The results obtained included statistically significant increases in measurements from the Rivermead ADL, PDQ-39, UPDRS, SDS, and Tinetti balance assessment scales. The stabilometric platform did not report significant changes in data. Conclusions: ET that was used as a supportive therapy for traditional treatments resulted in statistically significant improvements in the occupational performance, mood, quality of life, gait, and balance of the participants. Data from the stabilometric platform did not show significant changes.
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Publication Date: 2022-03-17 PubMed ID: 35327039PubMed Central: PMC8955834DOI: 10.3390/healthcare10030561Google 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 research paper explores the impact of equine therapy on daily life activities, mood, balance, and gait among individuals with Parkinson’s Disease. The study demonstrated notable improvements in participants’ overall wellbeing after 10 sessions of equine therapy.

Objective and Methodology

The study aimed to assess the potential benefits of equine therapy (ET) on individuals with Parkinson’s Disease (PD). The focus areas were everyday activities, life quality, mood, balance, and gait. Seventeen participants with PD were selected, required to be in the second or third stages of the Hoehn and Yahr scale, have Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores equal to or greater than 24, and be aged up to 85.

  • The therapy program was delivered over 10 bi-weekly sessions each lasting 45 minutes.
  • Assessments were taken both before and after therapy, using tools such as the Rivermead ADL scale, Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire-39 (PDQ-39), Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), unified Parkinson’s disease rating scale (UPDRS), and Tinetti balance assessment.
  • A stabilometric platform was used alongside the assessment tools to measure balance objectively.

Results and Conclusions

The intervention produced improvements in measurements from the Rivermead ADL, PDQ-39, UPDRS, SDS, and Tinetti balance assessment scales. Participants demonstrated significant improvements in occupational performance, quality of life, mood, and balance.

  • The study, however, recorded no significant changes in stabilometric platform data. This instrument was used to provide an objective measure of the value obtained by the Tinetti balance assessment.
  • Overall, this study implies the potential advantages of adding ET to traditional treatments for managing PD. It suggests benefits in enhancing quality of life, mood, and physical functioning of individuals with the disease.

Cite This Article

APA
Berardi A, Di Napoli G, Ernesto M, Fabbrini G, Conte A, Ferrazzano G, Viselli F, Galeoto G. (2022). The Effectiveness of Equine Therapy Intervention on Activities of Daily Living, Quality of Life, Mood, Balance and Gait in Individuals with Parkinson’s Disease. Healthcare (Basel), 10(3), 561. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare10030561

Publication

Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)
ISSN: 2227-9032
NlmUniqueID: 101666525
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 10
Issue: 3
PII: 561

Researcher Affiliations

Berardi, Anna
  • Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale dell'Università, 30, 00185 Rome, Italy.
Di Napoli, Giorgia
  • Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro, 5, 00185 Rome, Italy.
Ernesto, Monica
  • Hospital San Govanni Battista, 30, 00185 Rome, Italy.
Fabbrini, Giovanni
  • Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale dell'Università, 30, 00185 Rome, Italy.
  • IRCSS Neuromed, Via Atinense, 18, 86077 Pozzilli, Italy.
Conte, Antonella
  • Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale dell'Università, 30, 00185 Rome, Italy.
  • IRCSS Neuromed, Via Atinense, 18, 86077 Pozzilli, Italy.
Ferrazzano, Gina
  • Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale dell'Università, 30, 00185 Rome, Italy.
Viselli, Fabio
  • Hospital San Govanni Battista, 30, 00185 Rome, Italy.
Galeoto, Giovanni
  • Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale dell'Università, 30, 00185 Rome, Italy.
  • IRCSS Neuromed, Via Atinense, 18, 86077 Pozzilli, Italy.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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