Effects of therapeutic horseback riding on motor development in infants aged 2 to 4 years
Keywords:
motor skills, equine therapy, child development, motor development, physiotherapy modalities.Abstract
Introduction: Studies conducted on equine-assisted therapy at early ages suggest that it is effective for the improvement of motor development; however, in Colombia, these investigations are still scarce.Objective: To determine how equine-assisted therapy influences motor development in infants from 2 to 4 years of age.
Methods: 30 infants between 2 and 4 years of the adequate stimulation program of Cúcuta (17 girls and 13 boys) performed 10 sessions of equine therapy, 2 times a week with a duration of 30 minutes. To assess the motor development (areas of gross motor), fine adaptive, hearing-language and social personnel) of the infants, the Abbreviated Development Scale-3 was used. For the analysis of the data, the PSPP statistical package (p-value of 0,05) was used, a Shapiro-Wilk test was applied, then a T-Student test for the data with normal distribution and the Wilcoxon signed range test for data with non-normal distribution.
Results: Gross motor and fine adaptative obtained non-normal distribution for both sexes (p < 0,05), and when evaluating the changes with the intervention, all areas of motor development improved in girls (p = 0,00), while in boys, gross motor did not improve (p = 0,05).
Conclusion: Equine-assisted therapy generates changes in the fine adaptive, personal social, hearing- language and gross motor areas of motor development in girls from 2 to 4 years old; in boys it improves the fine adaptive, personal social and hearing-language areas.
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References
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21. Ministerio de Salud de Colombia. Por la cual se establecen las normas científicas, técnicas y administrativas para la investigación en salud. Bogotá: Ministerio de Salud; 1993[acceso: 04/01/2021]. Disponible en: https://www.minsalud.gov.co/sites/rid/Lists/BibliotecaDigital/RIDE/-DE/DIJ/RESOLUCION-8430-DE-1993.PDF
22. Brady HA, James CR, Dendy DW, Irwin TA, Thompson LD, Camp TM. Gross Motor Skills and Gait Performance in Two- and Three-year-old Children With Developmental Delay Participating in Hippotherapy. J Equine VetS ci. 2021; 99:103359. DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2020.103359
23. Zoccante L, Marconi M, Ciceri ML, Gagliardoni S, Gozzi LA, Sabaini S, et al. Effectiveness of Equine-Assisted Activities and Therapies for Improving Adaptive Behavior and Motor Function in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2021; 10(8):1726. DOI: 10.3390/jcm10081726
24. Hession CE, Law Smith MJ, Watterson D, Oxley N, Murphy BA. The Impact of Equine Therapy and an Audio-Visual Approach Emphasizing Rhythm and Beat Perception in Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder. J Altern Complement Med. 2019; 25(5):535-541. DOI: 10.1089/acm.2017.0242
25. Boyd L, le Roux M. 'When he's up there he's just happy and content': Parents' perceptions of therapeutic horseback riding. Afr J Disabil. 2017; 6:307. DOI: 10.4102/ajod.v6i0.307
26. Lemke D, Rothwell E, Newcomb TM, Swoboda KJ. Perceptions of equine-assisted activities and therapies by parents and children with spinal muscular atrophy. Pediatr Phys Ther. 2014; 26(2):237-44. DOI: 10.1097/pep.0000000000000027
27. Park ES, Rha DW, Shin JS, Kim S, Jung S. Effects of hippotherapy on gross motor function and functional performance of children with cerebral palsy. Yonsei Med J. 2014; 55(6):1736-42. DOI: 10.3349/ymj.2014.55.6.1736
28. Matusiak-Wieczorek E, Dziankowska-Zaborszczyk E, Synder M, Borowski A. The Influence of Hippotherapy on the Body Posture in a Sitting Position among Children with Cerebral Palsy. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020; 17(18):6846. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17186846
29. Kwon JY, Chang HJ, Yi SH, Lee JY, Shin HY, Kim YH. Effect of hippotherapy on gross motor function in children with cerebral palsy: a randomized controlled trial. J Altern Complement Med. 2015; 21(1):15-21. DOI: 10.1089/acm.2014.0021
30. Steiner H, Kertesz Z. Effects of therapeutic horse riding on gait cycle parameters and some aspects of behavior of children with autism. Acta Physiol Hung. 2015; 102(3):324-35. DOI: 10.1556/036.102.2015.3.10
31. Hession CE, Eastwood B, Watterson D, Lehane CM, Oxley N, Murphy BA. Therapeutic horse riding improves cognition, mood arousal, and ambulation in children with dyspraxia. J Altern Complement Med. 2014; 20(1):19-23. DOI: 10.1089/acm.2013.0207
32. Moraes AG, Copetti F, Angelo VR, Chiavoloni LL, David AC. The effects of hippotherapy on postural balance and functional ability in children with cerebral palsy. J Phys Ther Sci. 2016; 28(8):2220-26. DOI: 10.1589/jpts.28.2220
33. White-Lewis S, Russell C, Johnson R, Cheng AL, McClain N. Equine-assisted therapy intervention studies targeting physical symptoms in adults: A systematic review. Appl Nurs Res. 2017; 38:9-21. DOI: 10.1016/j.apnr.2017.08.002
34. López-Roa LM, Moreno-Rodríguez ED. Hipoterapia como técnica de habilitación y rehabilitación. Univ. Salud. 2015 [acceso: 04/01/2021]; 17(2):271-79. Disponible en: http://www.scielo.org.co/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0124-71072015000200012&lng=en
35. Menor-Rodríguez MJ, Sevilla Martín M, Sánchez-García JC, Montiel-Troya M, Cortés-Martín J, Rodríguez-Blanque R. Role and Effects of Hippotherapy in the Treatment of Children with Cerebral Palsy: A Systematic Review of the Literature. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2021; 10(12):2589. DOI: 10.3390/jcm10122589
36. Koca TT, Ataseven H. What is hippotherapy? The indications and effectiveness of hippotherapy. North Clin Istanb. 2015; 2(3):247-52. DOI: 10.14744/nci.2016.71601
37. Trzmiel T, Purandare B, Michalak M, Zasadzka E, Pawlaczyk M. Equine assisted activities and therapies in children with autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review and a meta-analysis. Complement Ther Med. 2019; 42:104-13. DOI: 10.1016/j.ctim.2018.11.004
2. Manjarrez AJC. Efectos fisioterapéuticos de la equinoterapia en niños con síndrome de Down [Tesis de Pregrado]. Ecuador: Universidad Nacional de Chimborazo; 2019. [acceso: 15/12/2019]. Disponible en: http://dspace.unach.edu.ec/handle/51000/6195
3. Özal C, Bayoglu B, Karahan S, Günel MK, Anlar B. Gross motor development of preschool children: effects of socioeconomic status and maternal education. Turk J Pediatr. 2020;62(1):10-8. DOI: 10.24953/turkjped.2020.01.002
4. Mensch SM, Echteld MA, Lemmens R, Oppewal A, Evenhuis HM, Rameckers EAA. The relationship between motor abilities and quality of life in children with severe multiple disabilities. J Intellect Disabil Res. 2019;63(2):100-12. DOI:10.1111/jir.12546
5. Lee K, Kim YH, Lee Y. Correlation between Motor Coordination Skills and Emotional and Behavioral Difficulties in Children with and without Developmental Coordination Disorder. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020;17(20):7362. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17207362
6. Veldman SLC, Santos R, Jones RA, Sousa-Sá E, Okely AD. Associations between gross motor skills and cognitive development in toddlers. Early Hum Dev. 2019; 132:39-44. DOI: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2019.04.005
7. Tester G, Ackland TR, Houghton L. A 30-Year Journey of Monitoring Fitness and Skill Outcomes in Physical Education: Lessons Learned and a Focus on the Future. Adv. Phys. Educ. 2014; 4(3):127–37. DOI: 10.4236/ape.2014.43017
8. Webster EK, Kracht CL, Newton RL Jr, Beyl RA, Staiano AE. Intervention to Improve Preschool Children's Fundamental Motor Skills: Protocol for a Parent-Focused, Mobile App-Based Comparative Effectiveness Trial. JMIR Res Protoc. 2020; 9(10):e19943. DOI: 10.2196/19943
9. Mimouni-Bloch A, Tsadok-Cohen M, Bart O. Motor Difficulties and Their Effect on Participation in School-Aged Children. J Child Neurol. 2016; 31(11):1290-95. DOI: 10.1177/0883073816653783
10. G. J. F. Joyce Bos, Carola Y. Timmer, Otto T. H. M. Lelieveld, Rene Scheenstra, Pieter J. J. Sauer, Jan H. B. Geertzen, Pieter U. Dijkstra. Motor development in children 0-2 years pre- and post-LTX, a prospective study. Pediatr Transplant. 2020; 24(7):e13803. DOI: 10.1111/petr.13803
11. Schoemaker MM, Lingam R, Jongmans MJ, van Heuvelen MJ, Emond A. Is severity of motor coordination difficulties related to co-morbidity in children at risk for developmental coordination disorder? Res Dev Disabil. 2013; 34(10):3084-91. DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2013.06.028
12. Rigby BR, Grandjean PW. The Efficacy of Equine-Assisted Activities and Therapies on Improving Physical Function. J Altern Complement Med. 2016; 22(1):9-24. DOI: 10.1089/acm.2015.0171
13. Stergiou A, Tzoufi M, Ntzani E, Varvarousis D, Beris A, Ploumis A. Therapeutic Effects of Horseback Riding Interventions: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 2017; 96(10):717-25. DOI: 10.1097/phm.0000000000000726
14. Lee J, Yun CK. Effects of hippotherapy on the thickness of deep abdominal muscles and activity of daily living in children with intellectual disabilities. J Phys Ther Sci. 2017; 29(4):779-82. DOI: 10.1589/jpts.29.779
15. Espinosa AL. La neurorehabilitación y los efectos de La hipoterapia en el tratamiento de la parálisis cerebral. Rev. Colomb. Rehabil. 2016 [acceso: 04/01/2021]; 15(1):58-65. Disponible en: https://revistas.ecr.edu.co/index.php/RCR/article/view/9
16. Aguilar-Barojas S. Fórmulas para el cálculo de la muestra en investigaciones de salud. Salud en Tabasco. 2005 [acceso: 04/01/2021]; 11(1-2): 333-8. Disponible en: https://www.redalyc.org/pdf/487/48711206.pdf
17. Pontifcia Universidad Javeriana, Facultad de Medicina, Departamento de Epidemiología Clínica y Bioestadística. Bogotá: Gobierno de Colombia; 2017 [acceso: 04/01/2021]. Disponible en: https://www.minsalud.gov.co/sites/rid/Lists/BibliotecaDigital/RIDE/VS-/PP/ENT/Escala-abreviada-de-desarrollo-3.pdf
18. Chapa A. Utilización De La Equinoterapia [Tesis de Pregrado]. México: Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro; 2009. [acceso: 15/05/2018]. Disponible en: https://es.scribd.com/document/447938221/ALBA-NIDIA-CHAPA-GONZALEZ
19. Asociación Médica Mundial. Declaración de Helsinki de la AMM - Principios éticos para las investigaciones médicas en seres humanos. Pamplona: AMM; 2013. [acceso: 04/01/2021]. Disponible en: http://www.redsamid.net/archivos/201606/2013-declaracion-helsinki-brasil.pdf?1
20. Harriss DJ, Atkinson G. Ethical standards in sport and exercise science research: 2014 update·. Int J Sports Med. 2013 [acceso: 04/01/2021]; 34(12):1025-8. Disponible en: https://www.thieme-connect.de/products/ejournals/abstract/10.1055/s-0033-1358756
21. Ministerio de Salud de Colombia. Por la cual se establecen las normas científicas, técnicas y administrativas para la investigación en salud. Bogotá: Ministerio de Salud; 1993[acceso: 04/01/2021]. Disponible en: https://www.minsalud.gov.co/sites/rid/Lists/BibliotecaDigital/RIDE/-DE/DIJ/RESOLUCION-8430-DE-1993.PDF
22. Brady HA, James CR, Dendy DW, Irwin TA, Thompson LD, Camp TM. Gross Motor Skills and Gait Performance in Two- and Three-year-old Children With Developmental Delay Participating in Hippotherapy. J Equine VetS ci. 2021; 99:103359. DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2020.103359
23. Zoccante L, Marconi M, Ciceri ML, Gagliardoni S, Gozzi LA, Sabaini S, et al. Effectiveness of Equine-Assisted Activities and Therapies for Improving Adaptive Behavior and Motor Function in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2021; 10(8):1726. DOI: 10.3390/jcm10081726
24. Hession CE, Law Smith MJ, Watterson D, Oxley N, Murphy BA. The Impact of Equine Therapy and an Audio-Visual Approach Emphasizing Rhythm and Beat Perception in Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder. J Altern Complement Med. 2019; 25(5):535-541. DOI: 10.1089/acm.2017.0242
25. Boyd L, le Roux M. 'When he's up there he's just happy and content': Parents' perceptions of therapeutic horseback riding. Afr J Disabil. 2017; 6:307. DOI: 10.4102/ajod.v6i0.307
26. Lemke D, Rothwell E, Newcomb TM, Swoboda KJ. Perceptions of equine-assisted activities and therapies by parents and children with spinal muscular atrophy. Pediatr Phys Ther. 2014; 26(2):237-44. DOI: 10.1097/pep.0000000000000027
27. Park ES, Rha DW, Shin JS, Kim S, Jung S. Effects of hippotherapy on gross motor function and functional performance of children with cerebral palsy. Yonsei Med J. 2014; 55(6):1736-42. DOI: 10.3349/ymj.2014.55.6.1736
28. Matusiak-Wieczorek E, Dziankowska-Zaborszczyk E, Synder M, Borowski A. The Influence of Hippotherapy on the Body Posture in a Sitting Position among Children with Cerebral Palsy. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020; 17(18):6846. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17186846
29. Kwon JY, Chang HJ, Yi SH, Lee JY, Shin HY, Kim YH. Effect of hippotherapy on gross motor function in children with cerebral palsy: a randomized controlled trial. J Altern Complement Med. 2015; 21(1):15-21. DOI: 10.1089/acm.2014.0021
30. Steiner H, Kertesz Z. Effects of therapeutic horse riding on gait cycle parameters and some aspects of behavior of children with autism. Acta Physiol Hung. 2015; 102(3):324-35. DOI: 10.1556/036.102.2015.3.10
31. Hession CE, Eastwood B, Watterson D, Lehane CM, Oxley N, Murphy BA. Therapeutic horse riding improves cognition, mood arousal, and ambulation in children with dyspraxia. J Altern Complement Med. 2014; 20(1):19-23. DOI: 10.1089/acm.2013.0207
32. Moraes AG, Copetti F, Angelo VR, Chiavoloni LL, David AC. The effects of hippotherapy on postural balance and functional ability in children with cerebral palsy. J Phys Ther Sci. 2016; 28(8):2220-26. DOI: 10.1589/jpts.28.2220
33. White-Lewis S, Russell C, Johnson R, Cheng AL, McClain N. Equine-assisted therapy intervention studies targeting physical symptoms in adults: A systematic review. Appl Nurs Res. 2017; 38:9-21. DOI: 10.1016/j.apnr.2017.08.002
34. López-Roa LM, Moreno-Rodríguez ED. Hipoterapia como técnica de habilitación y rehabilitación. Univ. Salud. 2015 [acceso: 04/01/2021]; 17(2):271-79. Disponible en: http://www.scielo.org.co/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0124-71072015000200012&lng=en
35. Menor-Rodríguez MJ, Sevilla Martín M, Sánchez-García JC, Montiel-Troya M, Cortés-Martín J, Rodríguez-Blanque R. Role and Effects of Hippotherapy in the Treatment of Children with Cerebral Palsy: A Systematic Review of the Literature. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2021; 10(12):2589. DOI: 10.3390/jcm10122589
36. Koca TT, Ataseven H. What is hippotherapy? The indications and effectiveness of hippotherapy. North Clin Istanb. 2015; 2(3):247-52. DOI: 10.14744/nci.2016.71601
37. Trzmiel T, Purandare B, Michalak M, Zasadzka E, Pawlaczyk M. Equine assisted activities and therapies in children with autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review and a meta-analysis. Complement Ther Med. 2019; 42:104-13. DOI: 10.1016/j.ctim.2018.11.004
Published
2022-08-16
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Monroy Pérez MM, Ortega Parra AJ, Bustos-Viviescas BJ. Effects of therapeutic horseback riding on motor development in infants aged 2 to 4 years. Rev Cubana Med Milit [Internet]. 2022 Aug. 16 [cited 2025 Jan. 10];51(3):e02201822. Available from: https://revmedmilitar.sld.cu/index.php/mil/article/view/1822
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