Comportamento angular de tronco de crianças com desenvolvimento típico durante sessão de hipoterapia

Abstract

Hippotherapy refers to a form of alternative rehabilitation treatment that uses horse movement to stimulate sensory, neuromotor and cognitive systems for functional improvement. The choice of riding materials during therapy, as well as the positioning of patients' feet and hands are essential in the intervention. The measurement of dynamic parameters of postural control over the variation of the type of material and positioning of the patient implies therapeutic decision-making. The aim of this study was to analyze the behavior of postural trunk control of children using different materials of riding and positioning of the feet and hands in a situation of horse riding. The study group consisted of fifteen children with typical development, 9 females (60%) and 6 males (37.5%), with a mean age of 9.13 ± 1.88 years, 8 eutrophics (53.3%) and 7 overweight (46.7%) and 75.73 ± 7.58 trunk-cephalic measurement. The analysis of dynamic trunk postural control occurred through the measurement of the angles of mean amplitude of lateral mean and antero posterior oscillation, and mean amplitude of relative trunk rotation, and were performed using three inertial sensors, model BTS G-sensor. One sensor was positioned on the back of the horse, one in the lumbar spine (L5) and the other in the thoracic (T5) of the children. Different riding situations were evaluated by varying the mount materials (saddle and blanket) and hand positions with support on the handles or on the thighs and feet with support on the stirrups or feet off the stirrups. The collections were performed in a previously determined area with asphalt surface, without obstacles, with controlled horse displacement speed. The results showed that the saddle mount material associated with the variation of the positioning of the hands supported on the handle and feet with support in the stirrup provided significant change in the measurement angles of postural control in the vertical direction (phi)- mediolateral. The variation of the positioning of the hands with support on the hand straps with support on the thighs and feet positioned in the stirrup also determined a significant change in the mean amplitude of ML oscillation. Through this study, it is indicating that the body material in the condition of supported hands and feet promoted a greater demand for postural control reflected in the angular values of mean amplitude of oscillation and mean amplitude of relative trunk rotation of the children analyzed. The change in positioning of the hands supported by the straps or thighs influenced differently in postural control, as well as the positioning of the feet supported by the stirrups determined greater recruitment of postural control.