Article

This case study was conducted to highlight the clinical and radiological
features of a patient with progressive neuromuscular scoliosis before and after
robo-horseback riding therapy (HBRT). Design: A clinical, laboratory, and
radiological analysis of a single case. Subject: An 11-year-old child, dignosed
right thoracolumbar neuromuscular scoliosis secondary to cerebral palsy. Method:
The child received a 5-week course of robo-HBRT, comprising of 60-minute periods
a day, five times a week. Postural alignment was determined by Cobb's method. A
real-time magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed to determine the
robo-HBRT-induced changes in cross-sectional area (CSA) of bilateral thoracic
(T2) and lumbar (L2) paraspinalis. Clinical tests including the standard Gross
Motor Function Measure (GMFM) and manual muscle testing (MMT) with the Lafayette
Manual Muscle Tester were used to compare the intervention-related changes in
motor performance and power. The surface EMG was also used to examine
therapy-induced changes in muscle activity amplitude for bilateral T2 and L2
paraspinalis and rectus abdominis muscles. Results: Clinical motor and strength
scores increased after the intervention. Radiographic Cobb's angle, MRI, and
electromyographic amplitude data demonstrated notably enhanced spinal alignment
and muscle fiber CSA and symmetry, respectively. Conclusions: This is the first
study to provide evidence of the therapeutic efficacy of a novel form of robo-HBRT on motor function and associated structural and motor control
improvements, thus suggesting a method of augmenting therapy in neuromuscular scoliosis.
Equitation robotique

Langue : ANGLAIS