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This research describes the therapeutic impact of hippotherapy on adolescents with cerebral palsy diplegia using the Physiological Cost Index and walking speed as outcome measures.

A single-system multiple-baseline design across subjects was implemented. Ten adolescents with diplegia were included. Participants had to be able to walk independently or with an assistive device. Adolescents were classified using the gross motor functional classification system levels I to III, and were 12 to 17 years old. Physiological Cost Index and walking speed were measured. Hippotherapy sessions took place once a week over a 12-week period. Each hippotherapy session (conducted by an occupational therapist) lasted 30 minutes. Average baseline measurements were compared with measurements taken before each intervention session and with post-intervention measurements.

One …