Effect of Hippotherapy and Schroth Exercise on Pulmonary Function and Aerobic Capacity in Idiopathic Scoliosis

Efficacy of Hippotherapy Combined With Schroth Exercises on Pulmonary Function and Aerobic Capacity in Adolescents With Idiopathic Scoliosis: A Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND: Idiopathic scoliosis has been identified as a common spinal malalignment that negatively impacts the respiratory system and physical conditioning in adolescents. Hippotherapy is an equestrian intervention that optimizes physical performance and mobility in a bunch of contexts; however, its influence on pulmonary function remains unclear.

AIM: This research aimed to analyze the impact of ten weeks of hippotherapy combined with Schroth exercises on ventilatory function and aerobic capacity in AIS.

DESIGN: Randomized Controlled Trial SETTING: Outpatients attend a single center that includes a rehabilitation room and recreational riding center.

POPULATION: Forty-five patients were arbitrarily recruited to the experimental (N= 22) and control group (N=23).

METHODS: Patients in the experimental group received 30 minutes of walking and sitting trot training, 15 sessions split into 2 phases over ten weeks. The two groups attended a 60-minute session of Schroth's intervention, 3 times/ week for 10 weeks. Two-way ANOVA for between-group comparisons and independent t-test for within-group comparisons were used in the statistical analysis.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Scoliosis Idiopathic
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: hippotherapy and schroth exercise; Other: schroth exercise

Detailed Description

A total of 45 patients (13 males and 32 females) participated in the current study. The participants were assigned to one of two groups in a random manner: an experimental group who received hippotherapy combined with Schroth Exercise and the control group who received only schorth exercise. (FVC, FEV1, FEV1/FVC, MVV, and 6MWT) were measured before and after 10 weeks intervention

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 45
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Saudi Arabia
  • Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
    • Battarjee Medical College

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 12 years to 18 years (Child, Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• all types of curves,
• curves between 10 and 20 degrees (29),
• Risser grade 0 to 5
• the availability to be engaged in once a week visit

Exclusion Criteria:

Adolescents with:

• obstructive pulmonary diseases
• associated neuromuscular diseases
• recent infectious episodes in the previous two months
• history of cardiovascular or psychological disorders
• any significant history of riding horses

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: hippotherapy combined with Schroth Exercise; received hippotherapy combined with Schroth Exercise hippotherapy session for 30 minutes of walking and sitting trot training, 15 sessions split into 2 phases over ten weeks in addition to 60-minute session Schroth's intervention, 3 times/ week for 10 weeks	Other: hippotherapy and schroth exercise; pulmonary function and aerobic capacity were measured in patients with mild idiopathic scoliosis before and after 10-week hippotherapy intervention combined with Schroth exercise
Active Comparator: Schroth Exercise; received Schroth's intervention for a 60-minute session, 3 times/ week for 10 weeks	Other: schroth exercise; pulmonary function and aerobic capacity were measured in patients with mild idiopathic scoliosis before and after 10-week of Schroth exercise

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
FVC in liters	change in FVC measured Using Spiromaster PC-10 Spirometer	ten weeks
FEV1 in liters	change in FEV1 measured Using Spiromaster PC-10 Spirometer	ten weeks
MVV in liters/min	change in MVV measured Using Spiromaster PC-10 Spirometer	ten weeks
FEV1/FVC in percentage	change in FEV1/FVC measured Using Spiromaster PC-10 Spirometer	ten weeks
aerobic capacity	6MWT	ten weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Batterjee Medical College
• Collaborators: Taif University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Mohamed M. Abdel Ghafar, Ph.D, Batterjee Medical College

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): February 20, 2020
• Primary Completion (Actual): December 18, 2020
• Study Completion (Actual): March 7, 2021

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: March 31, 2021
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 3, 2021
• First Posted (Actual): April 6, 2021

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 13, 2021
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 8, 2021
• Last Verified: April 1, 2021

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Pulmonary Function; Hippotherapy; Idiopathic Scoliosis
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Musculoskeletal Diseases; Spinal Diseases; Bone Diseases; Spinal Curvatures; Scoliosis
• Other Study ID Numbers: BMC

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No