The short-term effect of hippotherapy on spasticity in patients with spinal cord injury.

Abstract

Assessment of spasticity before and after hippotherapy treatment. To evaluate the short-term effect of hippotherapy on spasticity of spinal cord injured patients (SCIs). Swiss Paraplegic Centre, Nottwil. 32 patients with spinal cord injury with various degrees of spasticity had repeated sessions (mean 11) of Hippotherapy-K. Spasticity of the lower extremities was scored according to the Ashworth Scale. In primary rehabilitation patients Ashworth values after hippotherapy were significantly lower than before (Wilcoxon's signed-rank test: P<0.001). Highest improvements were observed in SCIs with very high spasticity. No significant difference between short-term effect in paraplegic and short-term effect in tetraplegic subjects was found. Hippotherapy significantly reduces spasticity of lower extremities in SCIs.