Parkinson DiseaseHIHANCT07802509
Does Hippotherapy Have an Effect on Mobility, Gait, Balance and Perceived Health-related Quality of Life in Persons With Parkinson's Disease?
A study testing Hippotherapy and Physiotherapy in people with Parkinson Disease, run by Klinik Valens at 1 site in Switzerland.
Trial summary
The goal of this pilot randomized controlled trial is to investigate the effects of hippotherapy (horse assisted therapy) (intervention group) compared to usual care (control group) on mobility, gait, balance and perceived health-related quality of life in persons with Parkinson's disease. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Parkinson Disease
- What is being tested?
- Hippotherapy and Physiotherapy
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 30 participants
- Where
- 1 siteSwitzerland
- Study dates
- 1 Jan 2025to 1 Jan 2027
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
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 18 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Confirmed diagnosis of Parkinson's diagnosis
- Age > 18 Years;
- Hoehn \& Yahr stage ≤ 4;
- Category 3 in the Functional Ambulation Categories
- Climbing stairs is possible (with support).
Who cannot join
- Severe cognitive impairment, defined by a score below 26 on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCa)
- Body weight > 90kg;
- Horse hair allergy;
- Other acute and subacute cardiovascular, respiratory, musculoskeletal or neurological disorders that constitute a contraindication to hippotherapy (i.e. a recent fracture);
- Pregnancy.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Switzerland1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
Rehabilitation Centre Valens
Valens, Canton of St. Gallen, 7317
Jens Bansi, PhD, +41 58 511 13 02, jens.bansi@kliniken-valens.ch
Jens Bansi, PhD
About this study
The goal of this pilot randomized controlled trial is to investigate the effects of hippotherapy (horse assisted therapy) (intervention group) compared to usual care (control group) on mobility, gait, balance and perceived health-related quality of life in persons with Parkinson's disease. The main objectives of this study are:
- The primary objective is to investigate the effects of hippotherapy on mobility of pwPD, walking speed and the ability to perform daily movements.
- The secondary objective is to investigate the effects of hippotherapy on (a) balance, (b) self-perceived physical and mental health and (c) specific gait parameters.
- Furthermore this study, aims to gather critical information that will inform about the design and implementation of a larger, more definitive randomized controlled trial.
In addition to the three-week, multidisciplinary rehabilitation program the intervention group will receive hippotherapy (20 minutes) three times a week (7 sessions in total) and the control group will receive additional physiotherapy sessions (30 minutes) two times a week.
- Conditions
- Parkinson Disease
- Being tested
- Hippotherapy, Physiotherapy
- Keywords
- Parkinson, Hippotherapy, Equine assisted therapy, Physiotherapy, Rehabilitation
- Medical subject headings
- Parkinson Disease
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
HippotherapyOther
Also called Equine assisted therapy
Hippotherapy is a form of physical therapy that utilizes the natural gait and movement of a horse to provide motor and sensory input. The hippotherapy sessions last 20 minutes each and aim at trunk rotation (in the transverse and frontal plane), rhythm and trunk stability.
PhysiotherapyOther
Also called Exercise therapy, Physical therapy
Physiotherapy sessions take 30 minutes and focus on core stability and exercises with large motor tasks
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Hippotherapy | Experimental | In addition to the three-week, multidisciplinary rehabilitation program the intervention group will receive hippotherapy three times a week (7 sessions in total). The hippotherapy sessions last 20 minutes each and aim at trunk rotation (in the transverse and frontal plane), rhythm and trunk stability. They will receive this in addition to the usual three-week rehabilitation program. This program includes 30 minutes of physical therapy daily plus two additional physiotherapy sessions of 30 minutes, 30 minutes of occupational therapy 3x/week, strength training 3x/week, 45 minutes of balance training 2x/week and, as required, other therapies such as nutritional advice, speech therapy and/or creative therapy to meet the individual needs of people with Parkinson's. Receives: Other: Hippotherapy |
| Usual care | Active comparator | The comparison group will perform the three-week rehabilitation program, without hippotherapy. This program includes 30 minutes of physical therapy daily plus two additional physiotherapy sessions of 30 minutes, 30 minutes of occupational therapy 3x/week, strength training 3x/week, 45 minutes of balance training 2x/week and, as required, other therapies such as nutritional advice, speech therapy and/or creative therapy to meet the individual needs of people with Parkinson's. Receives: Other: Physiotherapy |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Functional mobility.
Functional mobility will be measured with the expanded Timed Up and Go test.
The eTUG is a modification of the traditional Timed Up and Go test, whereby the distance is increased from 6 to 10m. This has enabled a more accurate gait assessment in pwPD. Multiple time points are assessed:
- The time the person takes to get from a sitting to standing position.
- The time the person takes to walk the first two meters (gait initiation)
- The time the person takes to walk the remaining (gait 1)
- The time the person takes to turn (turning)
- The time the person takes to (gait 2)
- The time the person takes to slow down, turn and sit down again
The more time someone takes to perform the test, the more the mobility is impaired.
Measured: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 3 weeks
Secondary outcomes (3)
Balance
Balance will be assessed with the Mini Balance Evaluation Systems Test (Mini-BESTest). The Mini-BESTest is shorter, more clinically applicable version of the original Balance Evaluation Systems Test (BESTest). This test focuses on subcomponents of balance control, such as anticipatory postural adjustments, postural responses, sensory orientation, and dynamic gait. It has proven to be effective in detecting balance impairments in persons with Parkinsons disease. The scale ranges from 0-28 points, with higher scores indicating better balance capacity.
Measured: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 3 weeks
Health related quality of life
Health related quality of life will be assessed with the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Global Health Short Form v1.2 (PROMIS-GH-10). The PROMIS-GH-10 is a ten-item questionnaire that assesses generic health related quality of life compared with normal values for the general population. It measures five domains: physical function, fatigue, pain, emotional distress, and social health on a five-point response matrix. Both physical and mental scores range from 0-20, with higher scores indicating a better perceived health related quality of life.
Measured: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 3 weeks
Walking capacity
Walking capacity will be tested using the 6 minutes walking test (6-MWT). With the 6-MWT, the total distance in meters covered within six minutes is assessed. The 6-MWT is performed on a 20-meter hallway, on which participants are asked to walk back and forth at maximal speed for the duration of six minutes without permission of rest. The instruction is standardized as "to walk at the fastest speed, and to cover as much distance as possible". Participants are allowed to use a walking aid, if necessary to ensure safe ambulation. The use of walking aids will be documented in the CRF, and participants are asked to use the same walking aid during the re-test at T1. During the tests, the research assistant blinded to group allocation is instructed, to not encourage the participant. The greater the distance walked during the test, the greater the walking endurance.
Measured: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 3 weeks
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted3 Sep 2026
- Study start1 Jan 2025
- Primary completion1 Jan 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion1 Jan 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Parkinson DiseaseStudies 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
- Double blind
- Who is masked
- Investigator, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 30 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Klinik Valens
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Schweizer Gruppe für Hippotherapie-K
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Jens Bansi, Klinik Valens
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07802509
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- Hippo-HIHA
- Acronym
- HIHA
- Status last verified
- Aug 2026
- First submitted
- 31 Aug 2026
- Last updated
- 17 Sep 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Undecided
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 17 Sep 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Does Hippotherapy Have an Effect on Mobility, Gait, Balance and Perceived Health-related Quality of Life in Persons With Parkinson's Disease?
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07802509
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- HIHA / Hippo-HIHA
- Conditions
- Parkinson Disease
- Keywords
- Parkinson, Hippotherapy, Equine assisted therapy, Physiotherapy, Rehabilitation
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 30 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Klinik ValensUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Schweizer Gruppe für Hippotherapie-K
- Study start
- 1 Jan 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 1 Jan 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 1 Jan 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 3 Sep 2026 (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 goal of this pilot randomized controlled trial is to investigate the effects of hippotherapy (horse assisted therapy) (intervention group) compared to usual care (control group) on mobility, gait, balance and perceived health-related quality of life in persons with Parkinson's disease. The main objectives of this study are:
- The primary objective is to investigate the effects of hippotherapy on mobility of pwPD, walking speed and the ability to perform daily movements.
- The secondary objective is to investigate the effects of hippotherapy on (a) balance, (b) self-perceived physical and mental health and (c) specific gait parameters.
- Furthermore this study, aims to gather critical information that will inform about the design and implementation of a larger, more definitive randomized controlled trial.
In addition to the three-week, multidisciplinary rehabilitation program the intervention group will receive hippotherapy (20 minutes) three times a week (7 sessions in total) and the control group will receive additional physiotherapy sessions (30 minutes) two times a week.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind (investigator, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Hippotherapy | Experimental | Other: HippotherapyIn addition to the three-week, multidisciplinary rehabilitation program the intervention group will receive hippotherapy three times a week (7 sessions in total). The hippotherapy sessions last 20 minutes each and aim at trunk rotation (in the transverse and frontal plane), rhythm and trunk stability. They will receive this in addition to the usual three-week rehabilitation program. This program includes 30 minutes of physical therapy daily plus two additional physiotherapy sessions of 30 minutes, 30 minutes of occupational therapy 3x/week, strength training 3x/week, 45 minutes of balance training 2x/week and, as required, other therapies such as nutritional advice, speech therapy and/or creative therapy to meet the individual needs of people with Parkinson's. |
| Usual care | Active comparator | Other: PhysiotherapyThe comparison group will perform the three-week rehabilitation program, without hippotherapy. This program includes 30 minutes of physical therapy daily plus two additional physiotherapy sessions of 30 minutes, 30 minutes of occupational therapy 3x/week, strength training 3x/week, 45 minutes of balance training 2x/week and, as required, other therapies such as nutritional advice, speech therapy and/or creative therapy to meet the individual needs of people with Parkinson's. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Confirmed diagnosis of Parkinson's diagnosis
- Age > 18 Years;
- Hoehn \& Yahr stage ≤ 4;
- Category 3 in the Functional Ambulation Categories
- Climbing stairs is possible (with support).
Key exclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Severe cognitive impairment, defined by a score below 26 on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCa)
- Body weight > 90kg;
- Horse hair allergy;
- Other acute and subacute cardiovascular, respiratory, musculoskeletal or neurological disorders that constitute a contraindication to hippotherapy (i.e. a recent fracture);
- Pregnancy.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| HippotherapyAlso: Equine assisted therapyHippotherapy is a form of physical therapy that utilizes the natural gait and movement of a horse to provide motor and sensory input. The hippotherapy sessions last 20 minutes each and aim at trunk rotation (in the transverse and frontal plane), rhythm and trunk stability. | Other | Hippotherapy |
| PhysiotherapyAlso: Exercise therapy, Physical therapyPhysiotherapy sessions take 30 minutes and focus on core stability and exercises with large motor tasks | Other | Usual care |
Primary outcome
Functional mobility.
Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 3 weeks
Functional mobility will be measured with the expanded Timed Up and Go test. The eTUG is a modification of the traditional Timed Up and Go test, whereby the distance is increased from 6 to 10m. This has enabled a more accurate gait assessment in pwPD. Multiple time points are assessed: * The time the person takes to get from a sitting to standing position. * The time the person takes to walk the first two meters (gait initiation) * The time the person takes to walk the remaining (gait 1) * The time the person takes to turn (turning) * The time the person takes to (gait 2) * The time the person takes to slow down, turn and sit down again The more time someone takes to perform the test, the more the mobility is impaired.
3 secondary outcomes
Balance
Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 3 weeks
Health related quality of life
Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 3 weeks
Walking capacity
Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 3 weeks
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 17 Sep 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Undecided
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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.
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 and Physiotherapy in people with Parkinson Disease, run by Klinik Valens at 1 site in Switzerland.
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 5 inclusion and 5 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: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 17 Sep 2026. 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 Switzerland. 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?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Jens Bansi, PhD (+41 58 511 13 02, jens.bansi@kliniken-valens.ch), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Functional mobility. (time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 3 weeks). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
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 17 Sep 2026.