Use of hippotherapy in gait training for hemiparetic post-stroke
Fernanda Beinotti1, Nilzete Correia, Gustavo Christofoletti
1Department of Neurology, State University of Campinas, Brazil.
Objective:
To evaluate the hippotherapy influence on gait training in post-stroke hemiparetic individuals.
Method:
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).
Conclusion:
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.
