The purpose of this study was to effects of hippotherapy on functional ability of children with cerebral palsy (CP). Fifty-seven children with CP participated were randomly divided into two groups. All of the groups received thirty minutes of conventional physical therapy program for three times a week per twelve weeks, however experimental group received additional fifteen minutes of the hippotherapy. Gross Motor Function Measure(GMFM) was used to compare the effects of hippotherapy. The results were as followings: GMFM score in dimensions A and B significantly increased in the control group after intervention. All dimensions of GMFM was significantly increased in experimental group after intervention. All dimensions of GMFM were significantly different between experimental group and control group. These results suggest that hippotherapy can be considered as a therapeutic method for physical therapy for the children with CP to improve the functional movements.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of the exercise on elderly balance ability by using hippotherapy and therapeutic ball exercise. 10 patients were assigned to the hippotherapy group and they got with 30 minutes of hippotherapy. Another 10 elderly were assigned to the therapeutic ball group and they got with 30 minutes of therapeutic ball exercise. All procedures were repeated 5 times a week for the total of four weeks. To investigate the participants balancing abilities, the Time“ Up & Go”(TUG) and One Leg Stand Test(OLST) were evaluated. The results of study were significant differences between pre-test and post-test of TUG and OLST(p<.05), and there were no significant differences between hippotherapy and therapeutic ball exercise(p>.05). The conclusion showed that both the hippotherapy and the therapeutic ball exercises were effective on elderly balancing ability. Consequently, it would be better to practice therapeutic ball than hippotherapy for elderly exercise because the more economical and there is less restriction of space than the hippotherapy.

목적 : 본 연구는 뇌성마비 아동에게 재활승마 프로그램을 적용하여 경련성과 근의 활성도에 재활승마가 미치는 영향을 알아보고자 하였다. 연구방법 : 연구 대상자는 12세 미만의 경련성 뇌성마비 아동 9명이었으며, 8주 동안 16회의 재활승마를 실시하였다. 재활승마 적용전, 2주, 4주, 8주 때에 주관절과 슬관절 굴곡근의 경련성 정도와 근 활성도를 측정하였다. 경련성은 Ashworth 척도, 근 활성도는 무선 표면 근전도를 사용하여 측정하였다. 경련성과 근활성도의 차이를 비교하기 위하여 반복측정 분산분석을 실시하였다. 통계적 유의수준은 .05로 하였다. 결과 : 재활승마 프로그램을 적용한 결과 주관절 굴곡의 경련성은 기간의 증가에 따라 유의하게 감소하는 결과가 나타났고, 슬관절 굴곡의 경련성은 기간의 증가에 따라 유의하게 감소하는 결과를 보였다(p<.05). 상완이두근의 근활성도는 기간의 증가에 따라 유의하게 증가하는 결과가 나타났으며, 대퇴이두근의 근활성도는 기간의 증가에 따라 유의하게 증가하는 결과를 보였다(p<.05). 결론 : 재활승마 후에 뇌성마비 아동의 경련성 감소와 근활성도 증가에 효과가 있는 것으로 나타났다. 따라서, 뇌성마비 아동의 경련성과 근 활성도를 개선을 위해 재활승마는 유용한 방법이라고 할 수 있겠다.