Development of Simulated Hippotherapy System and Investigation of Its Effectiveness in Children With Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral Palsy Clinical Trial

Official title:

Development of Simulated Hippotherapy System and Investigation of Its Effectiveness in Children With Cerebral Palsy

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Not yet recruiting

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT03889262
• Other study ID #: 09.2017.297
• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: April 1, 2019
• Est. completion date: September 20, 2019

Study information

• Verified date: March 2019
• Source: Marmara University
• Contact: Neslihan Karabacak
• Phone: +905347474980
• Email: neslikarabacak[@]gmail.com
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

The purpose of this study is to develop a simulated hippotherapy system controlled by electromyography (EMG) signals and investigate its effectiveness in children with cerebral palsy. In order to investigate its effectiveness evaluation of gross motor functions, lower extremity joint movements, spasticity of the lower extremities, functional independence, body movements, sitting and standing balance, muscle tone, stiffness and elasticity level, analysis of the walking are planned.

Description:

Hippotherapy is a therapeutic method in which a real horse is used for therapeutic purposes. It is widely used in many countries in the treatment of neuromuscular diseases (Multiple Sclerosis, stroke, Cerebral Palsy, etc.). Although the use of hippotherapy is widespread, many people can not reach and use this method effectively because of many reasons such as the high cost of caring, feeding, and sheltering horses or fear of people from horses. In recent years, hippotherapy simulation devices (mechanic and robotic horses) have been developed to overcome these problems. These devices aim to create the effects of hippotherapy on people by simulating a real horse's movement. The aim of this project is to develop and produce a simulated hippotherapy system, which can be controlled by electromyography (EMG) signals coming from the rider, movements programmable (for different musculoskeletal problems), rehabilitation-specific, providing evaluation during therapy, integrating virtual reality system and therapy games and investigate its effectiveness in children with cerebral palsy.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Enrollment: 20
• Est. completion date: September 20, 2019
• Est. primary completion date: September 20, 2019
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: All
• Age group: 5 Years to 18 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria

• Having a diagnosis of Spastic Cerebral Palsy,

• Children aged between 5 - 18 years,

• Gross motor functional level is I, II or III,

• Independent seating

• Walking at least 10 meters independently,

• Can understand simple verbal instructions,

• Those with a spasticity level less than 2 according to Modified Ashworth Scale ,

• Having bilateral hip abduction enough to sit on the hippotherapy device,

• Voluntary acceptance to participate in the study

Exclusion Criteria

• Having hip dislocation,

• Severe contracture or deformity,

• Scoliosis (above 20 degrees),

• Acute uncontrolled acute seizures,

• Epilepsy,

• Visual and auditory problems,

• Injection of botulinum toxin in the last 6 months,

• History of surgical operation such as muscle relaxation, tendon extension and selective dorsal rhizotomy in the last 6 months.

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Cerebral Palsy
• Paralysis

Intervention

Other:
• Hippotherapy
Hippotherapy is a therapeutic method in which a mechanical horse is used for therapeutic purposes.
• Neurodevelopmental Therapy
Neurodevelopmental therapy (NDT) is a hands-on treatment approach used by physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech-language pathologists. NDT was developed to enhance the function of children who have difficulty controlling movement as a result of neurological challenges, such as cerebral palsy and head injury. During treatment interventions, repeated experience in movement ensures that a particular pattern is readily accessible for motor performance. The more a patient performs certain movements, the easier these movements becomes.

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
n/a

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Marmara University

References & Publications (20)

Champagne D, Corriveau H, Dugas C. Effect of Hippotherapy on Motor Proficiency and Function in Children with Cerebral Palsy Who Walk. Phys Occup Ther Pediatr. 2017 Feb;37(1):51-63. doi: 10.3109/01942638.2015.1129386. Epub 2016 Mar 1. — View Citation

Franjoine MR, Gunther JS, Taylor MJ. Pediatric balance scale: a modified version of the berg balance scale for the school-age child with mild to moderate motor impairment. Pediatr Phys Ther. 2003 Summer;15(2):114-28. — View Citation

Glanzman AM, Swenson AE, Kim H. Intrarater range of motion reliability in cerebral palsy: a comparison of assessment methods. Pediatr Phys Ther. 2008 Winter;20(4):369-72. doi: 10.1097/PEP.0b013e31818b7994. — View Citation

Han JY, Kim JM, Kim SK, Chung JS, Lee HC, Lim JK, Lee J, Park KY. Therapeutic effects of mechanical horseback riding on gait and balance ability in stroke patients. Ann Rehabil Med. 2012 Dec;36(6):762-9. doi: 10.5535/arm.2012.36.6.762. Epub 2012 Dec 28. — View Citation

Herrero P, Gómez-Trullén EM, Asensio A, García E, Casas R, Monserrat E, Pandyan A. Study of the therapeutic effects of a hippotherapy simulator in children with cerebral palsy: a stratified single-blind randomized controlled trial. Clin Rehabil. 2012 Dec;26(12):1105-13. doi: 10.1177/0269215512444633. Epub 2012 May 18. — View Citation

Hosaka Y, Nagasaki M, Bajotto G, Shinomiya Y, Ozawa T, Sato Y. Effects of daily mechanical horseback riding on insulin sensitivity and resting metabolism in middle-aged type 2 diabetes mellitus patients. Nagoya J Med Sci. 2010 Aug;72(3-4):129-37. — View Citation

Kim SG, Lee JH. The effects of horse riding simulation exercise on muscle activation and limits of stability in the elderly. Arch Gerontol Geriatr. 2015 Jan-Feb;60(1):62-5. doi: 10.1016/j.archger.2014.10.018. Epub 2014 Nov 7. — View Citation

Kim SK, Kim SG, HwangBo G. The effect of horse-riding simulator exercise on the gait, muscle strength and muscle activation in elderly people with knee osteoarthritis. J Phys Ther Sci. 2017 Apr;29(4):693-696. doi: 10.1589/jpts.29.693. Epub 2017 Apr 20. — View Citation

Küçükdeveci AA, Yavuzer G, Elhan AH, Sonel B, Tennant A. Adaptation of the Functional Independence Measure for use in Turkey. Clin Rehabil. 2001 Jun;15(3):311-9. — View Citation

Lee CW, Kim SG, Na SS. The effects of hippotherapy and a horse riding simulator on the balance of children with cerebral palsy. J Phys Ther Sci. 2014 Mar;26(3):423-5. doi: 10.1589/jpts.26.423. Epub 2014 Mar 25. — View Citation

Lee DR, Lee NG, Cha HJ, Yun Sung O, You SJ, Oh JH, Bang HS. The effect of robo-horseback riding therapy on spinal alignment and associated muscle size in MRI for a child with neuromuscular scoliosis: an experimenter-blind study. NeuroRehabilitation. 2011;29(1):23-7. doi: 10.3233/NRE-2011-0673. — View Citation

Lee J, Yun CK. Effects of hippotherapy on the thickness of deep abdominal muscles and activity of daily living in children with intellectual disabilities. J Phys Ther Sci. 2017 Apr;29(4):779-782. doi: 10.1589/jpts.29.779. Epub 2017 Apr 20. — View Citation

Léveillé A, Rochette A, Mainville C. Perceived risks and benefits of hippotherapy among parents of children currently engaged in or waiting for hippotherapy: A pilot study. Physiother Theory Pract. 2017 Apr;33(4):269-277. doi: 10.1080/09593985.2017.1302029. Epub 2017 Apr 5. — View Citation

Mutlu A, Livanelioglu A, Gunel MK. Reliability of Ashworth and Modified Ashworth scales in children with spastic cerebral palsy. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2008 Apr 10;9:44. doi: 10.1186/1471-2474-9-44. — View Citation

Mutlu A, Livanelioglu A, Gunel MK. Reliability of goniometric measurements in children with spastic cerebral palsy. Med Sci Monit. 2007 Jul;13(7):CR323-9. — View Citation

Palisano R, Rosenbaum P, Walter S, Russell D, Wood E, Galuppi B. Development and reliability of a system to classify gross motor function in children with cerebral palsy. Dev Med Child Neurol. 1997 Apr;39(4):214-23. — View Citation

Park JH, Shurtleff T, Engsberg J, Rafferty S, You JY, You IY, You SH. Comparison between the robo-horse and real horse movements for hippotherapy. Biomed Mater Eng. 2014;24(6):2603-10. doi: 10.3233/BME-141076. — View Citation

Saether R, Helbostad JL, Adde L, Jørgensen L, Vik T. Reliability and validity of the Trunk Impairment Scale in children and adolescents with cerebral palsy. Res Dev Disabil. 2013 Jul;34(7):2075-84. doi: 10.1016/j.ridd.2013.03.029. Epub 2013 May 1. — View Citation

Silva e Borges MB, Werneck MJ, da Silva Mde L, Gandolfi L, Pratesi R. Therapeutic effects of a horse riding simulator in children with cerebral palsy. Arq Neuropsiquiatr. 2011 Oct;69(5):799-804. — View Citation

Yi SH, Hwang JH, Kim SJ, Kwon JY. Validity of pediatric balance scales in children with spastic cerebral palsy. Neuropediatrics. 2012 Dec;43(6):307-13. doi: 10.1055/s-0032-1327774. Epub 2012 Sep 25. — View Citation

* Note: There are 20 references in all — Click here to view all references

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Change in functional level from baseline, week 8 and week 16	Functional level will be defined with Gross Motor Functional Classification System (GMFCS). GMFCS defines movements such as sitting, walking and use of mobility devices. It provides a clear description of a child's current gross motor functional level. Level I can climb stairs without the use of a railing. Level II can walk in most settings and climb stairs holding onto a railing. Level III needs usage of a hand held mobility device, may climb stairs holding onto a railing with assistance. Level IV requires physical assistance or powered mobility in most settings. Level V children are transported in a manuel wheelchair in all settings, they are limited in their ability to maintain antigravity head and trunk postures and control leg and arm movements.	16 weeks
Primary	Change in spasticity from baseline, week 8 and week 16	Spasticity will be defined with Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS). The MAS measures resistance during passive soft-tissue stretching. Scoring: 0= normal tone. 1= slight increase in muscle tone, minimal resistance at the end of the range of motion (ROM) when the affected part(s) is moved in flexion or extension. 1+= slight increase in muscle tone, manifested by a catch, followed by minimal resistance throughout the remainder of the ROM. 2= more marked increase in muscle tone through most of the ROM, but affected part(s) easily moved. 3= considerable increase in muscle tone, passive movement difficult. 4= affected part(s) rigid in flexion or extension.	16 weeks
Primary	Change in range of motion from baseline, week 8 and week 16	Lower extremity Range of Motion (ROM) will be measured with universal goniometer.	16 weeks
Primary	Change in gross motor functional level from baseline, week 8 and week 16	Gross motor function will be assessed with Gross Motor Function Measure-88. It consists of 88 items and contains 5 subdivisions: (A) reaching and turning; (B) sitting; (C) crawling and notebook; (D) standing; (E) walking, running and jumping. The total score and the scores of each sub-section are calculated. In our study, sections B, D and E will be evaluated.	16 weeks
Primary	Change in postural control from baseline, week 8 and week 16	Trunk movements will be assessed with Trunk Impairment Scale (TIS). It will be used to evaluate the postural control. The scale is developed to evaluate the people with stroke and has been adapted and validated for the children with Cerebral Palsy (CP). The TIS assesses static and dynamic sitting balance and trunk coordination in a sitting position. The static subscale investigates the ability of the subject to maintain a sitting position with feet supported, while the legs are passively crossed, and when the subject crosses the legs actively. The dynamic subscale contains items on lateral flexion of the trunk and unilateral lifting of the hip. For each item, a 2, 3 or 4-point ordinal scale is used. On the static and dynamic sitting balance and coordination subscales the maximal scores that can be attained are 7, 10 and 6 points. The total score for TIS ranges between 0 for a minimal performance to 23 for a perfect performance.	16 weeks
Primary	Change in functional independence from baseline, week 8 and week 16	Functional Independence will be defined with The Functional Independence Measure for Children (WeeFim). WeeFim consists of 6 parts: self-care, sphincter control, mobility, locomotion, communication and social communication. Each item is scored from 1 to 7 depending on whether it receives help when performing the function, whether it is on time, or whether the auxiliary device is required. "1" means fully dependent, "7" means fully independent. According to this, the highest score a child can get is 126 and the lowest score is 18.	16 weeks
Primary	Change in functional balance from baseline, week 8 and week 16	Balance will be defined with Pediatrics Balance Scale (PDS). It is an assessment tool adapted from the Berg Balance Scale (BDS) to evaluate the functional balance of children in daily living activities. The scale consists of 14 chapters and each section is scored between 0 and 4; the highest score is 56. PDS is a high-reliability scale between groups and test re-testing in school-age children with mild to moderate motor impairment. The scale is valid in children with Cerebral Palsy.	16 weeks
Primary	Change in soft tissue from baseline, week 8 and week 16	Soft tissue assessment will assessed with Myoton® PRO device. It is an evidence-based device that evaluates the bio-mechanical properties of soft biological tissues in a non-invasive, objective, reliable, inexpensive, quick and easy manner. Myoton® PRO is used in studies to evaluate superficial skeletal muscles, connective tissues such as tendons and ligaments, and other soft tissues. It is a highly reliable method for assessing the tone, stiffness, elasticity of muscles.	16 weeks
Primary	Change in walking from baseline, week 8 and week 16	Walking analysis will be assessed with FreeMed® (Sensör Medica) which is a baropodometric platform. The software program can perform postural evaluation and bio-mechanical analysis. Dynamic analysis software program allows walking analysis. It documents the results in curves and graphics, podalic geometry, walking cycle, numerical values, combination of forces and videography and records in computer environment.	16 weeks
Primary	Change in body balance change from baseline, week 8 and week 16	Balance will be assessed with Pedalo® Balance Device. It will be used to evaluate the balance during sitting and standing positions. Pedalo® balance device has been developed to record the user's movements to provide information about the body's balance, response time and possible imbalances. Pedalo® is a device that provides performance improvement in terms of balance and coordination. The device not only measures the performance that appears, but also compares previous performances to allow the evaluation of all performances.	16 weeks