title: Effectiveness of equine therapy in children with psychomotor impairment.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Equine therapy, an intervention method that has been practiced for decades around the world, is used to treat patients susceptible to psychomotor delays.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We examine development of gross motor function compared to other psychomotor skills in patients undergoing this therapy, and analyse how this improvement affects general health status and quality of life.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study includes 11 children with delayed psychomotor development (aged 8.82 ± 3.89; 6 boys, 5 girls). The main study variables were gross motor function (GMFM-88) and perceived quality of life (Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory, PedsQL). Three measurements were performed: before and after a period of inactivity, and once again 2 months after the second measurement, following completion of a sustained period of therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We observed significant differences in overall results on the GMFM-88 between the initial and final tests and between the intermediate and final tests. Regarding the PedsQL quality of life scale, no statistically significant results were recorded.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Noticeable changes in motor control were recorded throughout the course of the intervention, which suggests that equine therapy may be appropriate treatment in cases of delayed psychomotor development.
authors.affiliation: Fundación Caballo Amigo, Madrid, España.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Del Rosario-Montejo
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Fisioterapia, Terapia Ocupacional, Rehabilitación y Medicina Física, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Madrid, España. Electronic address: francisco.molina@urjc.es.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Molina-Rueda
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Medicina Física y Rehabilitación, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, España.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Muñoz-Lasa
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Fisioterapia, Terapia Ocupacional, Rehabilitación y Medicina Física, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Madrid, España.
authors.forename: I M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Alguacil-Diego
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000818:Animals; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000534:rehabilitation; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D056147:Equine-Assisted Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology; D011596:Psychomotor Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D011788:Quality of Life
keywords: Control motor; Equine therapy; Equitación terapéutica; Hipoterapia; Hippotherapy; Motor control; Psychomotor impairment; Retraso psicomotor; Terapia ecuestre; Therapeutic riding