• Ebru Alemdaroğlu, İnci Yanıkoğlu, Öznur Öken, Halil Uçan, Murat Ersöz, Belma Füsun Köseoğlu, and Mehmet İsmail Safa Kapıcıoğlu.
• Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Ankara Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. Electronic address: ealemdaroglu@gmail.com.
• Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2016 May 1; 23: 26-9.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the short-term effects of horseback riding therapy in addition to a conventional rehabilitation program in children with cerebral palsy.MethodsNine children receiving horseback riding therapy in addition to conventional rehabilitation (Group 1) and seven children receiving conventional rehabilitation alone (Group 2) were assessed at baseline and 5 weeks later. Assessed were: modified functional reach test (MFRT), hip abduction angle, the Ashworth Scale for hip adductor muscle spasticity, knee distance test, and the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS).ResultsThe percentage change in hip adductor spasticity on the Ashworth Scale was 22% in Group 1 and 0% in Group 2 (significant difference; p = 0.016). Comparison of changes on the MFRT, GMFCS, knee distance test and hip abduction angle showed that the differences between Groups 1 and 2 were not significant.ConclusionsIn these children, horseback riding therapy in addition to conventional rehabilitation resulted in significant improvement in adductor spasticity on short-term follow-up.Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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