Análise do equilíbrio através da escala de Berg após intervenção com equoterapia em indivíduos portadores de esclerose múltipla

Abstract

The Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a demyelinating disease which affects the white matter of the central nervous system, whose signals and symptoms are characteristic and unexpected. Such pathology takes to the muscular weakness, muscle spasms and coordination difficulties causing tremors and loss of balance during the march. This study investigated the possible variations of balance in MS carriers those submitted to hippotherapy sessions aiming to minimize the effect of the disease to improve the functionality and the life quality of these patients. In this study, have been taken part 8 individuals, both sexes, in the ages between 32 to 58 years old with MS diagnosed and clinically stable. From them, six individuals had concluded the research, being five women and 1 man. After 30 two times a week hippotherapy sessions with 50 minutes each, it was observed an improvement in the balance of four patients. Those, two individuals remains with the same results as before the intervention, aplying the Berg´s scale as comparison parameter. Nevertheless, it was possible to observe that the hippotherapy was able to provide favourable modifications to the functional balance of MS carriers showing to be efficient as a therapeutic practice for this population.