Effect of hippotherapy on gait symmetry in children with cerebral palsy: A pilot study

摘要

Summary We aimed to investigate the effect of hippotherapy on gait symmetry in children with cerebral palsy ( CP ). Twelve children with Gross Motor Function Classification System ( GMFCS ) levels II ? IV received weekly hippotherapy lesson for 1?year. Gait analyses were performed during a 5‐m walking test, using a portable, tri‐axial accelerometer‐based motion recorder. The baseline symmetry index derived from the Lissajous index (LI) figure before hippotherapy was greater than the LI in age‐matched normal subjects ( P ??0.01). Hippotherapy was associated with a decreased LI (?10.4?±?4.9%, P ?=?0.018) and an improved GMFCS score (?0.6?±?0.7, P ?=?0.02). These data suggest that hippotherapy has a beneficial effect on symmetry of the trunk movement in children with CP .