Over the next few weeks we will be looking at how equines can assist people in many different ways. I will provide the research which has been verified and published in partnership with Animal Therapies LTD and Monash University.
The first blog is about pain, and how equine assisted wellness can help people with chronic pain.
Did you know that –
12 weeks of equine-assisted therapy has been shown to significantly reduce feelings of pain in adults with chronic lower back pain or chronic joint pain. Equine assisted therapy also had significant positive impacts on:
- muscle mass,
- fat mass,
- social function,
- mental
- health, and
- general health.
And here is the clinical research:
Kocyigit, B. F., Adilbekov, E., Zharmenov, S., Akyol, A., & Yessirkepov, M. (2023). Evaluating the efficacy of hippotherapy: a promising intervention in rheumatology, pain medicine, and geriatrics. Rheumatology International, 43, 2185-2191. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-023-05451-x
Mattila-Rautiainen, Venojarvi, M., Rautiainen, H., & Keski-Valkama, A. (2023). The impact on physical performance, pain and psychological wellbeing of chronic low back pain patients during 12-weeks of equine facilitated therapy intervention. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2023.1085768
Rodrigo-Claverol, M., Casanova-Gonzalvo, C., Malla-Clua, B., Rodrigo-Claverol, E., Jové-Naval, J., & Ortega- Bravo, M. (2019). Animal-assisted intervention improves pain perception in polymedicated geriatric patients with chronic joint pain: A clinical trial. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health,16(16), 2843. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16162843