Use of hippotherapy in gait training for hemiparetic post-stroke.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the hippotherapy influence on gait training in post-stroke hemiparetic individuals.


METHODS
The study was constituted of 20 individuals divided into two groups. Group A performed the conventional treatment while group B the conventional treatment along with hippotherapy during 16 weeks. The patients were evaluated by using the Functional Ambulation Category Scale, Fugl-Meyer Scale, only the lower limbs and balance sub items, Berg Balance Scale, and functional assessment of gait (cadence) in the beginning and end of the treatment.


RESULTS
Significant improvements were observed in the experimental group including motor impairment in lower limbs (p=0.004), balance, over time (p=0.007) but a significant trend between groups (p=0.056). The gait independence, cadence and speed were not significantly in both groups (p=0.93, 0.69 and 0.44).


CONCLUSIONS
Hippotherapy associated with conventional physical therapy demonstrates a positive influence in gait training, besides bringing the patients' gait standard closer to normality than the control group.
Department of Neurology, State University of Campinas, Brazil.
Fernanda
F
Beinotti
Nilzete
N
Correia
Gustavo
G
Christofoletti
Guilherme
G
Borges
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D056147:Equine-Assisted Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D020233:Gait Disorders, Neurologic / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D016896:Treatment Outcome