Diniz Luanna Honorato, de Mello Edneia Corrêa, Ribeiro Mariane Fernandes, Lage Janaine Brandão, Bevilacqua Júnior Domingos Emanuel, Ferreira Alex Abadio, Ferraz Mara Lúcia da Fonseca, Rosa Rodrigo César, Teixeira Vicente de Paula Antunes, Espindula Ana Paula
Concentration Area Human Pathology - Universidade Federal do TriânguloMineiro - UFTM, Uberaba, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Concentration Area Human Pathology - Universidade Federal do TriânguloMineiro - UFTM, PhysicalTherapistat Associação de Pais e Amigos dos Excepcionais de Uberaba - APAE, Uberaba, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2020 Apr;24(2):92-97. doi: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2019.10.002. Epub 2019 Oct 7.
The decrease in functional ability, strength, balance, flexibility, agility, and coordination owing to neurological and muscular changes is one of the characteristic features of the human aging process. Hippotherapy has been highlighted as a therapeutic approach with physical and psychological benefits for this section of the population. However, the effects of hippotherapy in elderly people need to be further studied by assessing their balance and flexibility.
Thirty elderly people were recruited and divided into two groups; 15 in the Hippotherapy Group (HG), and 15 in the control group (CG) (aged 66.07 ± 5.80 and 68.47 ± 5.85 years, respectively). The HG received ten 30-min sessions of hippotherapy once a week. Assessment included the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), the Timed Up and Go test (TUG), the Functional Reach Test (FRT)and the Sit-and-Reach Test with the Well's box before the first and after the tenth session of hippotherapy; and the Sit-and-Reach Test before and after each session.
The HG demonstrated a significant difference in the TUG test execution time and the FRT scores before and after the hippotherapy sessions (p = 0.036, p = 0.030, respectively), indicating an improvement in functional range. The examination of flexibility with the Wells's box also revealed a significant difference in the rates (cm) before and after 10 sessions of the hippotherapy for the HG (p = 0.033).
The present findings showthat hippotherapy improved elderly people's functional mobility, dynamic balance, and flexibility. These results will guide professionals who treat this population.
由于神经和肌肉变化导致的功能能力、力量、平衡、灵活性、敏捷性和协调性下降是人类衰老过程的特征之一。马术疗法已被视为一种对这部分人群具有身心益处的治疗方法。然而，需要通过评估老年人的平衡和灵活性来进一步研究马术疗法对他们的影响。
招募了30名老年人并将其分为两组；马术疗法组（HG）15人，对照组（CG）15人（年龄分别为66.07±5.80岁和68.47±5.85岁）。HG组每周接受一次，每次30分钟，共十次的马术治疗。评估包括在马术治疗的第一次和第十次疗程之前及之后进行的伯格平衡量表（BBS）、定时起立行走测试（TUG）、功能性伸展测试（FRT）以及使用韦尔斯箱进行的坐位体前屈测试；并且在每次疗程前后进行坐位体前屈测试。
HG组在马术治疗疗程前后的TUG测试执行时间和FRT分数上显示出显著差异（分别为p = 0.036，p = 0.030），表明功能范围有所改善。使用韦尔斯箱进行的灵活性检查还显示，HG组在进行十次马术治疗前后的速率（厘米）存在显著差异（p = 0.033）。
目前的研究结果表明，马术疗法改善了老年人的功能移动性、动态平衡和灵活性。这些结果将为治疗这一人群的专业人员提供指导。
