Protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis on the effect of hippotherapy and related equine-assisted therapies on motor capabilities in children with cerebral palsy

摘要

Cerebral palsy is one of the major neurological diseases in children showing a prevalence of about 2:1000 live births [ ]. It particularly affects children born preterm and necessitates lifelong medical support with physiotherapy being the major therapeutic principle. Equine-assisted treatments of the motor system are increasingly used to improve motor functions in children with cerebral palsy. This includes riding on animal horses but also on so-called artificial horses [ , ]. Hippotherapy is a distinct form of equine-assisted physiotherapy where certified physiotherapists use the horse as a dynamic tool in a classical physiotherapeutic setting. Further equine-assisted treatments do not necessarily need a certified physiotherapist or therapist but rely on the effects randomly elicited in the rider by the movements of the horse or of the artificial horse.