Affiliations: [a] Department of Physical Therapy, College of Natural Science, Kyungnam University, Changwon, South Korea | [b] Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea | [c] Department of Physical Therapy, Shingu University, Seongnam, South Korea | [d] Department of Occupational Therapy, College of Biomedical Sciences & Engineering, Inje University, Gimhae, South Korea
Correspondence:
[*]
Address for correspondence: Kyeong-Mi Kim, Department of Occupational Therapy, College of Biomedical Sciences & Engineering, Inje University, 197 Inje-ro, Gimhae-si, Gyeongsangnam-do, 621-749, South Korea. Tel.: +82 55 320 3683; E-mail: kmik321@inje.ac.kr
Abstract: Aim:We investigated whether a hippotherapy simulator has influence on symmetric body weight bearing during gait in patients with stroke. Method:Stroke patients were divided into a control group (n = 10) that received conventional rehabilitation for 60 min/day, 5 times/week for 4 weeks and an experimental group (n = 10) that used a hippotherapy simulator for 15 min/day, 5 times/week for 4 weeks after conventional rehabilitation for 45 min/day. Temporospatial gait assessed using OptoGait and trunk muscles (abdominis and erector spinae on affected side) activity evaluated using surface electromyography during sit-to-stand and gait. Prior to starting the experiment, pre-testing was performed. At the end of the 4-week intervention, we performed post-testing. Result:Activation of the erector spinae in the experimental group was significantly increased compared to that in the control group (p < 0.01), whereas activation of the rectus abdominis decreased during sit-to-stand. Of the gait parameters, load response, single support, total double support, and pre-swing showed significant changes in the experimental group with a hippotherapy simulator compared to control group (p < 0.05). Moreover, activation of the erector spinae and rectus abdominis in gait correlate with changes of gait parameters including load response, single support, total double support, and pre-swing in experimental group. Conclusion:These findings suggest that use of a hippotherapy simulator to patients with stroke can improve asymmetric weight bearing by influencing trunk muscles.
