PURPOSE: This study aimed to verify the effect of hippotherapy on the sitting balance of children with severe cerebral palsy (CP) by comparing hippotherapy, physical therapy, and a control. SUBJECTS: In this study, 45 children with CP were randomly divided into the hippotherapy group (HTG, n = 15), physical therapy group (PTG, n = 15), and control group (CON, n = 15). METHODS: Two expert physical therapists provided the HTG and PTG with traditional physical therapy comprising strengthening and stretching exercises in 30-minute sessions, semi-weekly, for 8 weeks. Hippotherapy was provided semi-weekly only to the HTG for 8 weeks at 30 minutes per session. The CON group received no treatment. Before and after the 8 weeks of intervention, a sitting balance test was performed, and the results were analyzed. RESULTS: Sway pathway and velocity significantly decreased in HTG compared to PTG and CON. Left/right pathway, total pathway, left/right velocity, and total velocity were significantly reduced in PTG compared to that in the CON. CONCLUSION: Hippotherapy with traditional physical therapy improved the sitting balance of children with severe CP, who could not walk independently more than traditional physical therapy alone.

Full text (sometimes free) may be available at these link(s):      help

• DOI
• PDF locator
• publisher