Muscle Spasticity Reduction in Children With Cerebral Palsy by Means of Hippotherapy

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Neuromuscular Diseases in Children; Cerebral Palsy, Spastic; Spasticity, Muscle
• Interventions: Other: Hippotherapy

• Registration Number: NCT03212846
• Lead Sponsor: University of Cadiz

Brief Summary

The aim of this study is to evaluate if a intervention with hippotherapy will improve spasticity for children ages 3-14 who have cerebral palsy. The hip aductors spasticity will be measured using the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS). The intervention will be performed in addition to traditional treatment.

Detailed Description

The main aim of the present study is to determine the effects of hippotherapy on the hip aductors spasticity in children with spastic cerebral palsy. Furthermore, as a secondary objective is to evaluate the changes in Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) after intervention in children ages 3-14.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2016-06
• Primary Completion: 2016-10
• Study Completion: 2016-10
• Status Verified: 2017-07
• Study First Submitted: 2017-07-07
• Study First Submitted QC: 2017-07-07
• Last Update Submitted: 2017-07-09
• Study First Posted: 2017-07-11
• Last Update Posted: 2017-07-12

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 50

Inclusion Criteria

• Primor diagnosis of spastic cerebral palsy
• Children aged 3-14

Exclusion Criteria

• Children with recent injection of botulinium toxin, surgery, or any planned medical or surgical interventions.

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Treatment group	Hippotherapy	Children will receive hippotherapy by a licensed physical therapist. Before riding, stretching and warming exercises of the adductor muscles will be performed. Later, the patient will be seated astride with the therapist behind. In any case, the participant had no control of the horse. Therapist will be responsible for correctly positioning the subject on the horse, but no position changes or active intervention of the subject with the therapist will be made. This positioning consists on achieving the optimal body alignment with neutral pelvis.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS)	12 weeks	The aim of the scale is to assess muscle tone by the joint range of motion, manually evaluated, and clinically recording passive movements' resistance. Each participant will be examined lying supine on a couch in a relaxed position. The MAS scale is, undoubtedly, the most widely used measure for the quantification of muscular hypertonia. The trunk and the head will be maintained in a neutral position to avoid eliciting tonic neck reflexes, and the passive speed movements will be made in the course of one second. It will be performed in left and right hip, independently, 5 to 8 times to obtain a more reliable result. This modified version adds a 1+ scoring category, in order to register resistance in less than half of the range of motion. Thus, the scores range is from 0 to 4, with 6 choices.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Faculty of Nursing and Physiotherapy; 🇪🇸 Cádiz, Spain