Therapeutic effects of a horse riding simulator in children with cerebral palsy.

The study investigates the effectiveness of a horse riding simulator on improving the sitting postural control in children with spastic diplegia, a form of cerebral palsy. The research shows significant improvement in postural control and motor functionality in children who used the simulator.

Methods

• 40 children were randomly divided into two groups: one using a horse riding simulator (RS) and the other undergoing conventional physical therapy (CT).
• An FScan/Fmat equipment was used to record the maximum displacement in Antero-Posterior (AP) and Medio-Lateral (ML) directions in a sitting position – indicators of sitting balance.
• Both groups were classified by the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) before and after the intervention to assess the children’s gross motor function, which refers to larger movements involving the arms, legs, feet, or entire body.

Results

• The study found that after using the simulator, there was a statistically significant improvement in the AP and ML measurements in the RS group. This indicates that the simulator helped improve the children’s control over their sitting posture more effectively than conventional physical therapy.
• The children’s gross motor functions also improved significantly based on their GMFCS classifications post-intervention.
• Moreover, the children’s responses to the AUQEI questionnaire (Autoquestionnaire Qualité de vie Enfant Image) revealed they had a more positive perception of the therapeutic intervention when using the simulator compared to conventional physical therapy. This questionnaire measures the children’s quality of life, indicating they found the simulator approach to therapy to be more enjoyable.

Conclusions

• The results demonstrate that the horse riding simulator significantly improved the sitting posture control and motor functionality of children suffering from spastic diplegia.
• Additionally, the children seemed to respond more positively to this more innovative approach, showing potential for its continued implementation as a therapeutic intervention.