Effects of Weekly Hippotherapy Frequency on Children With Cerebral Palsy

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Cerebral Palsy
• Interventions: Other: Hippotherapy twice a week; Other: Hippotherapy once a week

• Registration Number: NCT03024099
• Lead Sponsor: University of Brasilia

Brief Summary

The hippotherapy is considered a therapeutic modality that provides numerous benefits in the rehabilitation process and has often been recommended by doctors for children with cerebral palsy. Despite being in frank ascent, this therapy still lacks scientific evidence. Objectives: To analyze and compare the effects of hippotherapy program, often 1 or 2 days a week in gross motor function, trunk balance and functional performance of children with cerebral palsy.

Detailed Description

Study characterized by a controlled experiment with a sample of 24 children, aged between 2 and 4 years, were randomly divided into control group (CG), with 9 participants, with the use of 1 to week and experimental group, also with 11 participants, 2 times a week intervention. The call followed protocol and took place once or twice a week lasting 30 minutes.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2016-02
• Primary Completion: 2016-12
• Status Verified: 2017-01
• Study First Submitted: 2017-01-08
• Study First Submitted QC: 2017-01-13
• Study First Posted: 2017-01-18
• Study Completion: 2017-01-19
• Last Update Submitted: 2019-04-16
• Last Update Posted: 2019-04-17

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 20

Inclusion Criteria

• Children from 2 to 6 years of age with diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy, besides medical, physiotherapeutic and psychological referral with indication of the practice of Hippotherapy
• Children classified with GMFCS levels 2, 3, 4 or 5
• Understanding, agreement and signing of the Free and Informed Consent Form
• Understanding, agreement and signing of the Free and Informed Assent Term, when applicable
• Possibility to participate in a riding program 1 or 2 times a week for a period of 16 weeks
• Conduct traditional physiotherapy concomitantly 1 or 2 times a week

Exclusion Criteria

• Presence of associated syndromes or structural deformities that make Hippotherapy impossible
• Present seizures without medication control
• Does not have enough hip joint amplitude for riding (about 20 degrees of abduction)
• To have an invasive or surgical procedure during the study
• Have previously participated in an Equine Therapy program

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: FACTORIAL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Hippotherapy twice a week	Hippotherapy twice a week	hippotherapy twice a week
Hippotherapy once a week	Hippotherapy once a week	Hippotherapy once a week;

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Effects of weekly frequency of hippotherapy on gross motor function through GMFM (gross motor function measurement) of children with cerebral palsy.	one year	GMFM - quantitative scale assessing 5 dimensions of motor development.
Effects of weekly frequency of hippotherapy on functional performance through the Pediatric Disability Inventory (PEDI) of children with cerebral palsy.	one year	PEDI Inventory - quantitative scale that evaluates the functional performance, among others, for self care, mobility and social function.