Special Needs ChildrenNCT05993598
The Effect of Hippotherapy Applied on Different Seating Surfaces in Children With Special Needs
A study testing hippotherapy in people with Special Needs Children, run by Istanbul Medipol University Hospital at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
Trial summary
The effect of hippotherapy, which will be applied to children with special needs in a single session, on sitting balance and walking speed under the supervision of a physiotherapist was investigated. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 3 to 18 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Special Needs Children
- What is being tested?
- hippotherapy
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 30 participants
- Where
- 1 siteTurkey (Türkiye)
- Study dates
- 17 Jan 2023to 10 May 2023
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 3 to 18 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Child, Adult
Who may be able to join
- Having a child with special needs between the ages of 3-18,
- Children with a diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy (CP) have a level of 1 and 2 according to the Gross Motor Function Classification System,
- Ability to understand simple commands,
- Ability to sit unaided for at least 10 seconds,
Who cannot join
- Presence of clinical conditions that may pose an obstacle
- Lack of cooperation
- Presence in another study performed at the same time as the study
- Lack of family approval.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
Turkey (Türkiye)1 site
Gebze Municipality Equestrian Training Center
Kocaeli, Gebze, 41400
About this study
Official title: The Effect of Hippotherapy Applied on Different Sitting Surfaces on Sitting Balance and Walking Speed in Children With Special Needs
The effect of hippotherapy, which will be applied to children with special needs in a single session, on sitting balance and walking speed under the supervision of a physiotherapist was investigated. 30 randomly selected children with special needs between the ages of 3-18 who were referred to the Gebze Equestrian Training Center were included in the study. The children were randomly divided into 3 groups: 10 in the saddle, 10 naked (direct contact with the horse), and 10 in the hippotherapy group, in which a cloth of different texture was placed on the horse. Each group did a 30-minute hippotherapy session in the manege area. Before the application, the sitting balance of the children was evaluated by playing the Nintendo Wii Balance Platform and the Basic Balance Game. In addition, 10 m walking test was applied for walking speed. These assessments were repeated after the 30-minute session. It was checked whether the application had an effect on balance and walking speed. Comparisons between the groups were made and it was examined which application was more effective on balance and walking speed.
- Conditions
- Special Needs Children
- Being tested
- hippotherapy
- Keywords
- hippotherapy, sitting balance, child with special needs, walking speed
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
hippotherapyOther
Evaluation parameters were applied to 30 children with special needs at the beginning of the session. After the evaluation, each group was given a 30-minute hippotherapy session in the manege area. During the practice, the child simply sat on the horse. The horse was asked to maintain its balance by adapting to the oscillations it creates while walking on the sand. Immediately after the 30-minute application, the initial evaluations were made again. As a result, it was investigated whether hippotherapy applied on different sitting surfaces in children with special needs had an effect on sitting balance and walking speed.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Group 1 (Saddled) | Experimental | Each group did a 30-minute hippotherapy session in the manege area. Before the application, the sitting balance of the children was evaluated by playing the Nintendo Wii Balance Platform and the Basic Balance Game. In addition, 10 m walking test was applied for walking speed. These assessments were repeated after the 30-minute session. Receives: Other: hippotherapy |
| Group 2 (Saddleless, direct contact with horse) | Experimental | Each group did a 30-minute hippotherapy session in the manege area. Before the application, the sitting balance of the children was evaluated by playing the Nintendo Wii Balance Platform and the Basic Balance Game. In addition, 10 m walking test was applied for walking speed. These assessments were repeated after the 30-minute session. Receives: Other: hippotherapy |
| Group 3 (Different tissue to be put on the saddle) | Experimental | Bubbled nylon (pat-to-pat) was used as a different texture. Each group did a 30-minute hippotherapy session in the manege area. Before the application, the sitting balance of the children was evaluated by playing the Nintendo Wii Balance Platform and the Basic Balance Game. In addition, 10 m walking test was applied for walking speed. These assessments were repeated after the 30-minute session. Receives: Other: hippotherapy |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
BeCure Balance Evaluation System
BeCure Balance Assessment System protocol; It was planned to determine the amount of change in the center of gravity in the x and y axes and the position of the body center of gravity during balancing by sitting on the board for 30 seconds with eyes open, with images.
Measured: 11 weeks
Secondary outcomes (2)
Ten(10) Meter Walking Test(sec)
In this test, the person is asked to walk at their own normal pace in a pre-measured 10 meter area (if using walking aid, it will be done with it). The time starts when the person's foot is on the starting line and ends when they cross the finish line. Two measurements are made and the best value is recorded in meters per second (m/s).
Measured: 11 weeks
Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS)
It was used to evaluate the motor functions of participants with a diagnosis of cerebral palsy. It is a standardized method that classifies motor function differences in sitting and walking at 5 levels. If we examine the 5 levels; Level I walks without restrictions; Level II walks with restrictions; Level III walks using hand-held mobility devices; Level IV, independent self-mobility is limited and may use a motorized mobility vehicle; Level V is transported in a manual wheelchair.
Measured: 11 weeks
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted15 Aug 2023
- Study start17 Jan 2023
- Primary completion17 Feb 2023
- Study completion10 May 2023
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (1)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Special Needs ChildrenStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Participant
- Enrolment
- 30 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Istanbul Medipol University Hospital
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Ebru Sever, Istanbul Medipol University Hospital
- Investigators
- Ebru SEVER, Lecturer, Study director, Department of Physiotherapy & Rehabilitation
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05993598
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- BURAKEMİRHAN
- Status last verified
- Aug 2023
- First submitted
- 31 Jul 2023
- Last updated
- 15 Aug 2023
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Publications
Gulcelik GE, Sever E, Atalay B, Dursun E, Memisoglu I. Acute effect of hippotherapy applied on different sitting surfaces in children with special needs. J Pediatr Rehabil Med. 2026 May;19(2):134-140. doi: 10.1177/18758894261423727. Epub 2026 Mar 3.
PubMed 41773684
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 15 Aug 2023. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- The Effect of Hippotherapy Applied on Different Sitting Surfaces on Sitting Balance and Walking Speed in Children With Special Needs
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05993598
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- BURAKEMİRHAN
- Conditions
- Special Needs Children
- Keywords
- hippotherapy, sitting balance, child with special needs, walking speed
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 30 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Istanbul Medipol University HospitalUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 17 Jan 2023 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 17 Feb 2023 (actual)
- Study completion
- 10 May 2023 (actual)
- First posted
- 15 Aug 2023 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The effect of hippotherapy, which will be applied to children with special needs in a single session, on sitting balance and walking speed under the supervision of a physiotherapist was investigated. 30 randomly selected children with special needs between the ages of 3-18 who were referred to the Gebze Equestrian Training Center were included in the study. The children were randomly divided into 3 groups: 10 in the saddle, 10 naked (direct contact with the horse), and 10 in the hippotherapy group, in which a cloth of different texture was placed on the horse. Each group did a 30-minute hippotherapy session in the manege area. Before the application, the sitting balance of the children was evaluated by playing the Nintendo Wii Balance Platform and the Basic Balance Game. In addition, 10 m walking test was applied for walking speed. These assessments were repeated after the 30-minute session. It was checked whether the application had an effect on balance and walking speed. Comparisons between the groups were made and it was examined which application was more effective on balance and walking speed.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (participant)
- Number of arms
- 3
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Group 1 (Saddled) | Experimental | Other: hippotherapyEach group did a 30-minute hippotherapy session in the manege area. Before the application, the sitting balance of the children was evaluated by playing the Nintendo Wii Balance Platform and the Basic Balance Game. In addition, 10 m walking test was applied for walking speed. These assessments were repeated after the 30-minute session. |
| Group 2 (Saddleless, direct contact with horse) | Experimental | Other: hippotherapyEach group did a 30-minute hippotherapy session in the manege area. Before the application, the sitting balance of the children was evaluated by playing the Nintendo Wii Balance Platform and the Basic Balance Game. In addition, 10 m walking test was applied for walking speed. These assessments were repeated after the 30-minute session. |
| Group 3 (Different tissue to be put on the saddle) | Experimental | Other: hippotherapyBubbled nylon (pat-to-pat) was used as a different texture. Each group did a 30-minute hippotherapy session in the manege area. Before the application, the sitting balance of the children was evaluated by playing the Nintendo Wii Balance Platform and the Basic Balance Game. In addition, 10 m walking test was applied for walking speed. These assessments were repeated after the 30-minute session. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 3 to 18 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Having a child with special needs between the ages of 3-18,
- Children with a diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy (CP) have a level of 1 and 2 according to the Gross Motor Function Classification System,
- Ability to understand simple commands,
- Ability to sit unaided for at least 10 seconds,
Key exclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Presence of clinical conditions that may pose an obstacle
- Lack of cooperation
- Presence in another study performed at the same time as the study
- Lack of family approval.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| hippotherapyEvaluation parameters were applied to 30 children with special needs at the beginning of the session. After the evaluation, each group was given a 30-minute hippotherapy session in the manege area. During the practice, the child simply sat on the horse. The horse was asked to maintain its balance by adapting to the oscillations it creates while walking on the sand. Immediately after the 30-minute application, the initial evaluations were made again. As a result, it was investigated whether hippotherapy applied on different sitting surfaces in children with special needs had an effect on sitting balance and walking speed. | Other | Group 1 (Saddled), Group 2 (Saddleless, direct contact with horse), Group 3 (Different tissue to be put on the saddle) |
Primary outcome
BeCure Balance Evaluation System
Time frame: 11 weeks
BeCure Balance Assessment System protocol; It was planned to determine the amount of change in the center of gravity in the x and y axes and the position of the body center of gravity during balancing by sitting on the board for 30 seconds with eyes open, with images.
2 secondary outcomes
Ten(10) Meter Walking Test(sec)
Time frame: 11 weeks
Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS)
Time frame: 11 weeks
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 15 Aug 2023.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 41773684Gulcelik GE, Sever E, Atalay B, Dursun E, Memisoglu I. Acute effect of hippotherapy applied on different sitting surfaces in children with special needs. J Pediatr Rehabil Med. 2026 May;19(2):134-140. doi: 10.1177/18758894261423727. Epub 2026 Mar 3.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Ebru SEVER, Lecturer study director
Department of Physiotherapy & Rehabilitation
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing hippotherapy in people with Special Needs Children, run by Istanbul Medipol University Hospital at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 4 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 15 Aug 2023. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye). Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
BeCure Balance Evaluation System (time frame: 11 weeks). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT05993598, which also lists 1 linked publication.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 15 Aug 2023.