TY - JOUR
T1 - . Immediate and long-term effects of hippotherapy on symmetry of adductor muscle activity and functional ability in children with spastic cerebral palsy
AU - McGibbon, Nancy H
AU - Silkwood-Sherer, Deborah
PY - 2009/6
Y1 - 2009/6
N2 - To investigate the immediate effects of 10 minutes
of hippotherapy, compared with 10 minutes of barrel-sitting,
on symmetry of adductor muscle activity during walking in children with cerebral palsy (CP) (phase I). To investigate the longterm effects of 12 weeks of hippotherapy on adductor activity, gross motor function, and self-concept (phase II).
Design: Pretest/posttest randomized controlled trial plus
clinical follow-up.
Setting: Outpatient therapy center.
Participants: Children with spastic CP (phase I: n47;
phase II: n6).
Interventions: Phase I: 10 minutes of hippotherapy or 10
minutes of barrel-sitting; phase II: 12 weekly hippotherapy
sessions.
Main Outcome Measures: Phases I and II: adductor muscle
activity measured by surface electromyography. Phase II: gross motor function and self-perception profiles.
Results: Phase I: hippotherapy significantly improved adductor
muscle asymmetry (P.001; d1.32). Effects of barrelsitting
were not significant (P.05; d.10). Phase II: after 12
weeks of hippotherapy, testing in several functional domains
showed improvements over baseline that were sustained for 12 weeks posttreatment.
Conclusions: Hippotherapy can improve adductor muscle
symmetry during walking and can also improve other functional motor skills.
AB - To investigate the immediate effects of 10 minutes
of hippotherapy, compared with 10 minutes of barrel-sitting,
on symmetry of adductor muscle activity during walking in children with cerebral palsy (CP) (phase I). To investigate the longterm effects of 12 weeks of hippotherapy on adductor activity, gross motor function, and self-concept (phase II).
Design: Pretest/posttest randomized controlled trial plus
clinical follow-up.
Setting: Outpatient therapy center.
Participants: Children with spastic CP (phase I: n47;
phase II: n6).
Interventions: Phase I: 10 minutes of hippotherapy or 10
minutes of barrel-sitting; phase II: 12 weekly hippotherapy
sessions.
Main Outcome Measures: Phases I and II: adductor muscle
activity measured by surface electromyography. Phase II: gross motor function and self-perception profiles.
Results: Phase I: hippotherapy significantly improved adductor
muscle asymmetry (P.001; d1.32). Effects of barrelsitting
were not significant (P.05; d.10). Phase II: after 12
weeks of hippotherapy, testing in several functional domains
showed improvements over baseline that were sustained for 12 weeks posttreatment.
Conclusions: Hippotherapy can improve adductor muscle
symmetry during walking and can also improve other functional motor skills.
M3 - Article
SP - 966
EP - 974
JO - Archives Phys Med Rehabil
JF - Archives Phys Med Rehabil
IS - 90
ER -