Effects of Hippotherapy on Functionality in Children With Cerebral Palsy

Effects of Hippotherapy on Upper Extremity Functionality and Trunk Control in Children With Cerebral Palsy

The purpose of this clinical review is to investigate the effect of hippotherapy in improving upper limb functionality in children with cerebral palsy. The main question it aims to answer is The questions are as follows:

1. Does hippotherapy improve gross motor function of the upper extremity in children with cerebral palsy?
2. Is the development of trunk control in children with cerebral palsy who receive hippotherapy different from the development of trunk control in children who receive conventional physiotherapy?

Participants will:

Hippotherapy and routine physiotherapy in 2 different groups for 2 They will carry out the necessary evaluations before the implementation and at the end of 2 months.

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a permanent developmental disorder that occurs as a result of a lesion in the developing baby's brain. Due to the symptoms seen in CP, the individual's participation in daily living activities (ADL) is restricted and functional mobility is affected. Hippotherapy is preferred in children with CP because it includes fun activities and is effective in terms of the child's participation and motivation. The aim of this study is to examine the effect of hippotherapy on upper extremity function. In this study planned as a multicenter study, children with CP are divided into 2 groups as the study and control groups. After a 2-month application, children with CP will be evaluated in terms of upper extremity functionality and postural control. The "Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Statistics 23.0 (SPSS Inc, Chicago, USA) program will be used in the analysis of the study data. The change in numerical variables over time in the treatment and control groups and the group-time interaction will be examined with "two-way repeated measures variance analysis". The "Chi-Square Test" will be used to examine the relationship between categorical variables. The relationship between numerical variables will be examined with the "Spearman rho correlation coefficient". The probability of error will be accepted as (p<0.05).

Inclusion Criteria:

• Having been diagnosed with SP
• Being between the ages of 4-16
• Being at GMFCS (Gross Motor Function Classification System) level 1,2 or 3
• Being at MACS (The Manual Ability Classification System) level 1,2,3 or 4
• Having a stable clinical condition
• Having the cognitive level to follow the instructions in the test and treatment protocol

Exclusion Criteria:

• Families who do not sign the consent form
• Presence of active seizures
• Presence of developmental hip dysplasia
• Presence of allergy to horses
• Having undergone surgical intervention or Botulinum Toxin A (BTX-A) application in the last 6 months