Evaluating the efficacy of hippotherapy: a promising intervention in rheumatology, pain medicine, and geriatrics
Kocyigit B.F. Adilbekov E. Zharmenov S. Akyol A. Yessirkepov M.
December 2023Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH
Rheumatology International
2023#43Issue 122185 - 2191 pp.
Using animals for medical care has a long history. Animals have long been recognized for their ability to improve human health and well-being throughout nations and civilizations. Animal-assisted therapy is a concept that incorporates intentional and regulated interactions between individuals and animals to achieve therapeutic aims. Hippotherapy is an animal-assisted therapy consisting of medical procedures and practices that use horses to restore and enhance physical and mental health. The effectiveness of hippotherapy is evidenced by its ability to have a favorable influence on various domains, encompassing physical, psychosocial, and educational aspects. This multifaceted method entails the active involvement of the sensory, musculoskeletal, vestibular, and visual systems. Hippotherapy is an unconventional modality, leveraging horses cyclic and repetitive motions to activate the postural reflex structures of individuals. Various studies have mostly focused on determining the efficacy of hippotherapy in the context of neurological conditions, neuro-rehabilitation, and psychiatric disorders. The primary objective of this study was to present the effectiveness of hippotherapy in the fields of rheumatology, pain medicine, and geriatrics. In addition, we provided a summary of the potential underlying mechanisms of hippotherapy. Finally, we conducted a comparison of hippotherapy and horse riding simulator interventions to provide their respective strengths and restrictions.
Equine-assisted therapy , Geriatrics , Hippotherapy , Horseback riding therapy , Pain management , Rheumatic diseases
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Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Health Sciences, Adana Health Practice and Research Center, Adana, Turkey
Central City Clinical Hospital, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Department of Surgical Diseases, Kazakhstan Medical University “KSPH”, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Aura Med Clinic, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Application and Research Center, Hasan Kalyoncu University, Gaziantep, Turkey
Department of Biology and Biochemistry, South Kazakhstan Medical Academy, Shymkent, Kazakhstan
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Central City Clinical Hospital
Department of Surgical Diseases
Aura Med Clinic
Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Application and Research Center
Department of Biology and Biochemistry
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