PTOtherJournal of physical therapy science2020

Monitoring of the human body and brain behavior using optical motion capture system and EEG utilizing horseback riding simulator: an extended case study.

Alina Byzova, Hamid Roozbahani, Heikki Handroos and 2 others

PMID 32082035

WHAT IT FOUND

Professional riders moved their pelvis more smoothly than non-professional riders on a horseback riding simulator.

Brain activity was recorded in one rider. This is a prototype observation, not evidence that riding therapy works.

Key findings

01Professional riders' pelvic position changed on a smoother trajectory with lower amplitude than non-professional riders' pelvic position.

02EEG data were collected from one professional rider while the rider used the horseback riding simulator.

03During gallop, the velocity results were very similar between professional and non-professional riders, with only a slight difference.

STILL TO COME

How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs

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What it does not show

This is a proof-of-concept prototype study, not a clinical trial of horseback riding therapy. Only six riders were tested, with three professional riders and three non-professional riders. EEG results come from one professional rider, so they cannot describe a pattern of brain response. The reported results are graph descriptions and scalp-map observations, not patient outcomes such as pain, balance, or function. The authors note that the optical motion capture setup is not portable and takes time to set up and calibrate.

Declared interests

The authors declared no competing interests and no funding.

The easy way to misread this

Do not read this as evidence that horseback riding simulator therapy improves posture, balance, or brain activity in patients. The study tested a prototype in six riders, with EEG from one rider, and did not measure clinical outcomes in patients.

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