title: The effect of therapeutic horseback riding on gross motor function and gait speed in children who are developmentally delayed.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to measure the effects of a seven-week therapeutic horseback riding program and to determine if changes were retained after therapeutic riding was discontinued. A repeated-measures within-participants design was used to assess performance on the Gross Motor Function Measure and timed 10-meter walk in seven developmentally delayed children. A statistically significant improvement in gross motor function was found in post-intervention measures. Improvements were maintained seven weeks after therapeutic riding had ended. No considerable difference in gait speed was noted. This study indicates that therapeutic riding may lead to improvement in gross motor function in developmentally delayed children and that these improvements remain once therapeutic riding ceases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX 75390-8876, USA.
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Winchester
authors.forename: Kyla
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kendall
authors.forename: Heidi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.forename: Natalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sears
authors.forename: Tracy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Winkley
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006736:Horses; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009788:Occupational Therapy / Q000379:methods; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities / Q000379:methods; D011596:Psychomotor Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D011998:Recreation