The effects of hippotherapy on reducing pain, balance, depression, sleep and quality of life in patients with multiple sclerosis: a systematic review article
Poster Presentation
Paper ID : 2000-SSRC
Authors
1ندارم
2گروه فیزیولوژی ورزش، دانشکده علوم ورزشی، دانشگاه اصفهان، اصفهان، ایران
Abstract
Background & Aim
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is one of the most common diseases of chronic inflammatory neuropathy with disorders of the central nervous system in which the myelin of nerve fibres is destroyed. Hippotherapy is a new complementary treatment method to reduce symptoms and improve the quality of life, where horses are used as a combined tool of physical exercise, contact with animals and activity in the natural environment to improve the physical, emotional and social performance of people. The aim of this systematic review is to investigate the effects of hippothermia in preventing the progression of this disease.
Methodology
This study, in the review of articles from 2007 to 2023 in the field of hippothermia in people with multiple sclerosis, by searching the electronic database, PubMed, Google scholar, Scopus, Web of Science Embase, fifteen related articles were identified by removing duplicates. 195 patients between the ages of 22.5 and 51.3 were included in this study. Interventions based on hippotherapy were for 13.6 weeks with a frequency of once a week.
Results
All the reviewed studies showed that hippotherapy can make important improvements in motor function, static balance, muscle strength, pain reduction, sleep, depression and quality of life of patients. Also, the effective mechanisms of hypothermia in MS patients were also investigated. These mechanisms include physiological and psychological effects caused by interactions with horses. Finally, the advantages and limitations of using hypothermia in these patients were investigated.
Conclusion
According to the results of the available studies, it seems that hippotherapy can be used as a complementary method and promising effective treatment in the management of patients with multiple sclerosis. However, the need for further research and the design of controlled studies to investigate the exact effects and mechanisms of hypothermia in these patients is recommended.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is one of the most common diseases of chronic inflammatory neuropathy with disorders of the central nervous system in which the myelin of nerve fibres is destroyed. Hippotherapy is a new complementary treatment method to reduce symptoms and improve the quality of life, where horses are used as a combined tool of physical exercise, contact with animals and activity in the natural environment to improve the physical, emotional and social performance of people. The aim of this systematic review is to investigate the effects of hippothermia in preventing the progression of this disease.
Methodology
This study, in the review of articles from 2007 to 2023 in the field of hippothermia in people with multiple sclerosis, by searching the electronic database, PubMed, Google scholar, Scopus, Web of Science Embase, fifteen related articles were identified by removing duplicates. 195 patients between the ages of 22.5 and 51.3 were included in this study. Interventions based on hippotherapy were for 13.6 weeks with a frequency of once a week.
Results
All the reviewed studies showed that hippotherapy can make important improvements in motor function, static balance, muscle strength, pain reduction, sleep, depression and quality of life of patients. Also, the effective mechanisms of hypothermia in MS patients were also investigated. These mechanisms include physiological and psychological effects caused by interactions with horses. Finally, the advantages and limitations of using hypothermia in these patients were investigated.
Conclusion
According to the results of the available studies, it seems that hippotherapy can be used as a complementary method and promising effective treatment in the management of patients with multiple sclerosis. However, the need for further research and the design of controlled studies to investigate the exact effects and mechanisms of hypothermia in these patients is recommended.
Keywords