title: The effects of hippotherapy on elderly persons' static balance and gait.
abstract: [Purpose] The aim of this study was to examine the effects of hippotherapy on elderly persons' static balance and gait. [Subjects and Methods] Twenty-two elderly persons residing in the community were randomly divided into a hippotherapy group and a treadmill group and they conducted exercise for eight weeks. [Results] Step lengths increased significantly, and step time and sway path lengths significantly decreased in both groups. A comparison of sway path lengths after the intervention between the two groups revealed that the hippotherapy group showed larger decreases than the treadmill group. [Conclusion] The results of this study indicate that hippotherapy may improve the static balance and gait of elderly persons residing in the community.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Science, Graduate School, Daegu University, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Seong Gil
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Hippotheray, Sungduk College, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Chae-Woo
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Lee
keywords: Balance; Elderly; Hippotherapy