ArticleHealth science reports2026
Physical Therapy Intervention With Hippotherapy (HPOT) Affects Balance Control in the Elderly: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
Article in Health science reports, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- Physical Therapy With Hippotherapy Affects Balance Control in the Elderly: A Critical Appraisal.Health science reports · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background and Aims: Aging is characterized by a decline in functional abilities, strength, balance, flexibility, agility, and coordination due to neurological and muscular changes. Hippotherapy (HPOT) has been recognized for its physical and psychological benefits for older adults. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the effects of hippotherapy on balance in elderly individuals. The novelty lies in using the Biodex Balance System SD for dynamic balance assessment in healthy elderly without neurological disorders. Methods: We recruited elderly men aged 60 to 70 who had independent mobility and medical clearance for hippotherapy, ensuring they met criteria such as consistent participation and the absence of pertinent diseases, orthopedic issues, recent surgeries, or medications that could influence outcomes. The dependent variables measured with the Biodex Balance System SD included (I) fall risk, (II) stability index, (III) balance index, (IV) anterior-posterior deviation, and (V) mediolateral deviation. The intervention consisted of 16 sessions of hippotherapy over 8 weeks, with two 30-min sessions each week, during which participants rode a horse. Result: The main findings derived from this study indicate that the intervention significantly reduced Fall Risk in the training group compared to the control ( Conclusions: The findings demonstrate that hippotherapy significantly enhances balance in physically active elderly individuals, potentially improving their quality of life. These results will inform professionals working with this population.
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Registered trials
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