Summary of the Systematic Review

ARTICLE CITATION

Hippotherapy acute impact on heart rate variability non-linear dynamics in neurological disorders

Cabiddu, Borghi-Silva, Trimer, Trimer, Ricci, Monteiro, Maniglia, Pereira, Rodrigues das Chagas, Carvalho

Physiology and Behavior (2016) 

 

ARTICLE DETAILS

Description

Neurological disorders are associated with autonomic dysfunction. Hippotherapy (HT) is a therapy treatment strategy that utilizes a horse in an interdisciplinary approach for the physical and mental rehabilitation of people with physical, mental and/or psychological disabilities. However, no studies have been carried out which evaluated the effects of HT on the autonomic control in these patients. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to investigate the effects of a single HT session on cardiovascular autonomic control by time domain and non-linear analysis of heart rate variability (HRV). 

Profession 

Physical Therapist 

Location 

Brazil 

Intervention Terminology

HPOT

Study Design 

Pre/during/post

Sample

12 Children 

Age/Population

4-12 years 

Assessment/ Outcome measure tools

Continuously monitored heart rate variability

Result Category 

Biomarkers (heart rate variability)

Dosage/Description of Intervention

1 session; 10-minute sitting position rest, a 15-minute preparatory phase sitting on the horse, a 15-minute hippotherapy session and a final 10-minute sitting position recovery