The Effect of Exercise by Mechanical Hippotherapy Device on Postural Stability and Balance in Stroke

Medipol Health Group

Status: Completed

Conditions: Balance, Postural; Stroke; Gait, Hemiplegic

Treatments: Other: postural control exercises; Other: conventional rehabilitation; Other: exercise by hippotherapy device

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03528993

2018-02

Details and patient eligibility

About

Stroke,one of the leading cause of death, is caused by ischemia or hemorrhage. It results in neurological deficits such as hemiplegia. Hemiplegia show disability characterized loss of motor, sensory and cognitive function. Reduced postural control and balance stability results gait disturbances such as asymmetric weight bearing, risk of falling and imbalances. It also shows increased energy expenditure, decreased independence on quality of life and limited mobility. Physical therapy can be effective method for solving these problems. Hippotherapy, also known as horseback riding therapy, is a form of physical therapy strategy that uses equine movement. The concept of hippotherapy is to use a horse as a therapeutic tool, and it is based on similarities in gait between the human and horse. The horse's gait provides patients having motor disabilities with rhythmic and repetitive movements similar to human walking, thereby giving them training opportunities to improve posture, balance, and strength. Even though it has many effect on solving these problems, hippotherapy centers are not enough. Due to climate and environmental situations, hippotherapy devices were improved and had similar effects on patients with stroke. In literature, these device mostly used on cerebral palsy, but investigator wants to use hippotherapy device on patient with Hemiplegia. For these reasons, the effects of exercises by mechanical hippotherapy device on postural control and balance will be investigated.

Full description

Investigator will randomly allocate 30 patients with hemiplegia to two groups; Control group (n=15), experimental group(n=15).The control group will receive conventional rehabilitation for 45 min/day, following by postural control exercises 15 min/day 5 times/week for 4 weeks, while the experimental group receive conventional rehabilitation for 45 min/day following by use of a hippotherapy device for 15 min/day, 5 times/week for 4 weeks. Assessment procedure will be held at the beginning and 4th week of study. Assessment procedure will be held at the beginning and 4th week of study. All subjects will be assessed by berg balance scale and BIODEX primarily while Timed up and go test, SF-36, Functional reach test, functional independence measurement(FIM), Trunk Impairment Scale (TIS), Trunk Control Test (TCT), motricity index, Fugl-meyer will be held secondarily.

Enrollment: 30 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 80 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Mini Mental Test score more than 24
• Ability to stand and sit independently
• Ability to follow and understand verbal instructions.

Exclusion criteria

• Musculoskeletal problems
• Neurologic deficits such as unilateral neglect, hemianopsia, and apraxia

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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30 participants in 2 patient groups

Exercise by hippotherapy device group

Experimental group

Description:

The experimental group receive conventional rehabilitation for 45 min/day following by use of a hippotherapy device for 15 min/day, 5 times/week for 4 weeks

Treatment:

Other: conventional rehabilitation

Other: exercise by hippotherapy device

Control group

Other group

Description:

The control group will receive conventional rehabilitation for 45 min/day, following by postural control exercises 15 min/day 5 times/week for 4 weeks.

Treatment:

Other: conventional rehabilitation

Other: postural control exercises