Effects of Simulated Horseback Riding on Balance, Postural Sway, and Quality of Life in Older Adults With Parkinson's Disease

Effectiveness of animal-assisted activities and therapies for autism spectrum disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Given the rising interest in complementary therapeutic strategies for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), this research aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the impact of animal-assisted activities and therapies (AAAT) on various ASD symptoms.

Methods

A meticulous search of databases, including Scopus and PubMed, was conducted to gather relevant research on AAAT for ASD. This process led to the selection of 45 studies encompassing 1,212 participants. The chosen studies were then subjected to a meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy of AAAT in alleviating core ASD symptoms.

Results

The meta-analysis revealed significant improvements in several core ASD symptoms due to AAAT. Notably, there were improvements in social communication (MD = -4.96, 95% CI [-7.49, -2.44]), irritability (MD = -2.38, 95% CI [-4.06, -0.71]), hyperactivity (MD = -4.03, 95% CI [-6.17, -1.89]), and different word usage skills (MD = 20.48, 95% CI [7.41, 33.55]). However, social awareness (MD = -1.63, 95% CI [-4.07, 0.81]), social cognition (MD = -3.60, 95% CI [-9.36, 2.17]), social mannerisms (MD = -0.73, 95% CI [-2.55, 1.09]), social motivation (MD = -1.21, 95% CI [-2.56, 0.13]), lethargy (MD = -1.12, 95% CI [-3.92, 1.68]), and stereotypical behaviors (MD = -0.23, 95% CI [-1.27, 0.80]) did not significantly improve.

Conclusion

The study demonstrates the potential of AAAT in improving certain core symptoms of ASD, such as social communication, irritability, hyperactivity, and word usage skills. However, the effectiveness of AAAT in other ASD symptom domains remains uncertain. The research is limited by the absence of long-term follow-up data and a high risk of bias in existing studies. Therefore, while the findings indicate the promise of AAAT in specific areas, caution is advised in generalizing its efficacy across all ASD symptoms.

Adapted sailing teaching methodology using vsail-trainer simulator as rehabilitation therapy. A feasibility study

CONTEXT

Sailing is a sport that can help in the rehabilitation of Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) patients and improve their quality of life. Teaching methodology in sailing has always been considered as complex, due to the great amount of uncertainty that this sport has.

PURPOSE

To design a protocol for teaching adapted sailing in a simulated situation for people with SCI and to know the effect of the teaching protocol on learning, effort perception and heart rate.

METHOD

Six adults were patients recruited at the National Hospital of Paraplegics of Toledo (Spain), aged between 31 and 54 years, who have passed the early subacute phase. Each subject underwent semi-immersive virtual reality sailing therapy for 40 min per session three times per week for six weeks, 18 sessions. A simulated adapted sailing initiation program VSail-Trainer® was used for the simulator therapy. During this session, the basic notions of sailing, wind direction, sheet trimming and control of the boat on different courses were explained. The variables assessed were: sailing learning, heart rate and effort perception.

RESULTS

The comparison of performance variables between pretest and posttest resulted differences in boat speed, heel and Velocity Made Good (VMG). These improvements in the performance variables are also reflected in the average times taken by the subjects to complete the regatta.

CONCLUSION

The methodology used in this study can be used as a guide for learning the activity by new SCI patients in rehabilitation who want to get into sailing sport.

Measuring Equine-Assisted Therapy: Validation and Confirmatory Factor Analysis of an ICF-Based Standardized Assessment-Tool

The International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) of the World Health Organization (WHO) was established as an international framework for monitoring rehabilitation outcomes and the impacts of health interventions since, as the term “functioning” implies, it emphasizes a person’s “lived health” in addition to their biological health status. Equine-assisted therapy (EAT) represents a holistic intervention approach that aims to improve both biomedical functioning and the patient’s lived health in relation to performing activities and participating in social situations. In this study, the psychometric properties of an ICF-based digital assessment tool for the measurement of the rehabilitation impacts of EAT were analyzed via simultaneous confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) and reliability and sensitivity tests. In total, 265 patients from equine-assisted therapy centers in Germany were included for CFA. Change sensitivity was assessed via multi-level analyses based on 876 repeated assessments by 30 therapists. Results show satisfactory model-fit statistics; McDonald’s omega (ML) showed excellent scores for the total scale (ω = 0.96) and three subscales (ω = 0.95; ω = 0.95, ω = 0.93). The tool proved itself to be change sensitive and reliable (change sensitivity p ≤ 0.001), retest r = 0.745 **, p ≤ 0.001). Overall, the developed assessment tool satisfactorily fulfills psychometric requirements and can be applied in therapeutic practice.

Effect of a semi-immersive virtual reality navigation therapy on quality of life in persons with spinal cord injury

PURPOSE

This study aims to develop a sailing simulation-based therapeutic rehabilitation program for individuals with Spinal Cord Injuries (SCI) during the subacute phase of the injury.

METHODS

Participants were 11 patients, aged between 20-56 years (Mage = 42.36, SDage=12.90), who were randomly assigned into experimental group and control group, within a pre-test/post-test quasi-experimental design. While both groups followed the rehabilitation programmed by the hospital, experimental group participants were enrolled in an interactive rehabilitation exercise (The vSail-Access®, Virtual Sailing Pty Ltd). For this intervention, each subject underwent a semi-immersive Virtual Reality (VR) navigation therapy for 30-40 min per day, three times per week for six weeks. Quality of life (QoL), functionality and balance variables were measured for both groups one week before and after the intervention. Data was generated based on patients' responses using validated questionnaires and tests. A 2 (groups) × 2 (test-time) MANOVA was performed to detect between-group and within-group differences.

RESULTS

Significant improvements were obtained in the experimental group in the mobility and balance variables, and in the global result of QoL.

CONCLUSIONS

The sailing simulation program, included as a therapy within the rehabilitation process after a SCI, provides participants with an overall increase in QoL and functionality.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILIATIONVirtual reality is a therapy that can be part of the rehabilitation process of spinal cord injuries in the acute phase, improving functional capacity.The initiation to recreational sailing in a virtual way is a safe tool for the initiation to the practice of sports.The practice of a dynamic sport, such as sailing, helps to improve the quality of life in spinal cord injuries.

Possible Neuroprotective Mechanisms of Physical Exercise in Neurodegeneration

Physical exercise (PE) improves physical performance, mental status, general health, and well-being. It does so by affecting many mechanisms at the cellular and molecular level. PE is beneficial for people suffering from neuro-degenerative diseases because it improves the production of neurotrophic factors, neurotransmitters, and hormones. PE promotes neuronal survival and neuroplasticity and also optimizes neuroendocrine and physiological responses to psychosocial and physical stress. PE sensitizes the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS), Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) and central nervous system (CNS) by promoting many processes such as synaptic plasticity, neurogenesis, angiogenesis, and autophagy. Overall, it carries out many protective and preventive activities such as improvements in memory, cognition, sleep and mood; growth of new blood vessels in nervous system; and the reduction of stress, anxiety, neuro-inflammation, and insulin resistance. In the present work, the protective effects of PE were overviewed. Suitable examples from the current research work in this context are also given in the article.