Impact of Long-Term Hippotherapy on the Walking Ability of Children With Cerebral Palsy and Quality of Life of Their Caregivers.

ABSTRACT: Background: Cerebral palsy (CP) is a permanent motor disorder that occurs at birth or during early infancy. Despite advances in fetal and maternal medicine, the incidence of CP remains high. Hippotherapy has gradually been recognized as an excellent rehabilitation tool for children with CP. However, a scientific basis for how it achieves long-term functional improvements or provides additional benefits to patients' caregivers remains unknown. Objectives: We performed a prospective trial to determine how hippotherapy affects the gross motor and gait functions in children with CP and how it may also impact the quality of life (QOL) of patients' caregivers. Methods: In total, 24 children with CP (11 boys, 13 girls; age: 4-14 years; Gross Motor Function Classification Syst

SUBMITTER: Mutoh T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6701452 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature