Sjúkraþjálfun á hestbaki, nú einnig stunduð á Íslandi

Abstract

This article is a short review of the history of equine assisted therapy in Iceland, and an introduction to horseback riding as a therapeutic physical activity. Riding has many benefits; physical, social and psychological. The position of the rider on the horse facilitates proper sitting posture. It facilitates normal movements, balance and righting reactions where the rider must respond to approximately 100 impulses per minute while the horse is moving. Sitting astride the horse can maintain and /or improve the range of movement, particularly in the hip joints. The rhythm of the horse’s movement and corresponding proprioceptive input to the rider’s joints facilitates the relaxation of spastic muscles. On the other hand increased proprioceptive and vestibular sensory input through the movement of the horse may increase muscle tonus in a rider with hypotonus. Many people with disabilities are not able to explore their environment, experience movements or take risks in the same way as their peers. The rider is able to cross terrain that would be inaccessible in a wheelchair. Therapeutic riding is fun, and therefore lack of motivation and therapy burn-out do not exist. In Sterba’s review article from 2007, he points out that improvement of gross motor function was obtained in most of the studies he investigated, pelvic movement was normalized, co-contraction, joint-stability and weight shifting, as well as postural and equilibrium responses was improved. Last but not least equine assisted therapy improved dynamic postural stabilization, recovery from perturbations and anticipatory and feedback postural control

Hestar hafa um árabil verið notaðir á Íslandi sem frístundatilboð fyrir fatlaða einstaklinga. Sjúkraþjálfun á hestbaki er lítt þekkt hér á landi en reiðmennska fyrir fatlaða hefur verið stunduð með ýmsum hætti undanfarna áratugi. Víða erlendis hefur skapast hefð fyrir sjúkraþjálfun á hestbaki (hippotherapy / terapi ridning) og kemur heilbrigðiskerfið með mismiklum hætti að kostnaði þessu tengdu. Ísland hefur að mörgu leyti sérstöðu þegar kemur að reiðmennsku þar sem hér stunda hana mun fleiri en almennt tíðkast hjá nágrannaþjóðunum. Íslenski hesturinn er talinn hafa marga kosti sem nýtast vel í sambandi við þjálfun fatlaðra á hesti.