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recent study conducted at the University of Eastern Finland.
In Finland, equine-facilitated therapy as a form of medical rehabilitation has been subsidised by the country’s Social Insurance Institution since 2019. In the rehabilitation of musculoskeletal disorders, however, equine-facilitated therapy is less well established.
The research, published recently in Frontiers in Veterinary Science, found that individuals who participated in EFT for 12 weeks experienced a decrease in perceived pain and an improvement in their ability to carry out daily tasks.
The study, which included 22 participants dealing with low back pain, assessed the impact of EFT on physical performance, pain levels, pain acceptance, anxiety, depression, and overall quality of life. Lead researcher was Sanna Mattila-Rautiainen, who has more than 20 years of experience of using EFT in the rehabilitation of patients with back pain, working in close collaboration with regional social welfare and healthcare authorities in the Kainuu region, Finland.
The intervention consisted of 12 weekly EFT sessions. The first four sessions lasted 10 minutes each. They increased to 20 minutes for the next four weeks and 30 minutes for the final four weeks.
Through the 12-week study, the researchers observed that EFT had the potential to enhance individuals' daily lives. Significant improvements were noted in several activities, including the ability to sleep, reach and bend forward, and stand for extended periods of time.
They also noted that EFT could help reduce the amount of pain perceived by the patients, increase their participation in social activities, and improve their psychological well-being.
During a six-month follow-up, only two of the chronic pain patients returned to the clinic due to pain.
In follow-up interviews, patients highlighted physical, psychological and social effects of EFT, showing that the intervention had a comprehensive impact on their rehabilitation.
The researchers also observed significant improvement in mental health. During the intervention, they found that patients’ social functioning improved and their depression decreased – something that was also emphasised in the interviews: “The created group effect was a positive experience.”
Sitting on a horse to 100 walk-like movements per minute was found to be beneficial. Comments from participants included:“The movement felt good - the horse moved me correctly” and “There is no other way to exercise like this.”
However, matching the patient to the horse was important: “One horse felt good and other made my pain worse.”
“Chronic back pain is a multidimensional experience involving not only physical pain but also learned thinking patterns and emotional reactions” says Mattila-Rautiainen.
“Traditionally, physical therapy has been recommended for the rehabilitation of patients with chronic pain, as physical exercise has been found to be the most effective way to treat spinal pain.”
She points out that Equine-facilitated therapy brought relief to patients with chronic pain who had been incapable for work for several years.
Incorrect movement maintains a vicious circle of pain and affects people’s physical, psychological and social well-being. The compatibility of the patient with the horse’s movements, along with a suitable exercise load, played a key role in the intervention. The exercise load was gradually increased, within the limits of pain. Patients’ opinions were also considered regarding the choice of their horse and equipment.
“Patients with chronic pain tend to avoid the sensation of pain that comes from moving the affected part of their body. However, when sitting on a moving horse, a person with low back pain will end up moving to the gait of the horse, which encourages the right kind of lumbar movement,” Mattila-Rautiainen says.
These findings suggest that EFT could be a valuable therapeutic option for those experiencing difficulties due to chronic low back pain.
For more details, see:
The impact on physical performance, pain and psychological wellbeing of chronic low back pain patients during 12-weeks of equine-facilitated therapy intervention.
Sanna Mattila-Rautiainen, Mika Venojärvi, Heta Rautiainen and Alice Keski-Valkama
Front. Vet. Sci., (2023) vol 10
1 comment:
I believe wholeheartedly that this is true for me personally. I have chronic lower back stiffness, ache and pain. I always feel better during my rides and after.
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