Physical activity with horses as a therapeutic means to improve the functional capacity and quality of life of the elderly and those affected by Fibromyalgia syndrome: The Centauro Method as a training program for intervention
Any: 2015
Aging means a decrease in the functional capacity of people and therefore a deterioration in their quality of life. In the same way happens to the people affected by Fibromialgia, that by their symptomatology they present a reality analogous to the older people in terms of functionality. The practice of physical exercise on an ongoing basis is an effective tool to alleviate the effects of old age and fibromyalgia. This study proposes the realization of a program of physical activity using the horse as a means of implementation, the Centauro Method, in order to obtain improvements in functional capacity, which in turn will affect an improvement in the quality of life of the patient . The objectives of this work are: To analyze the changes in relation to functional and psychological physical condition and in the improvement of the quality of life of the elderly and those affected by the fibromyalgia syndrome based on the application Of the Centaur Method. Validate the training program-intervention Centauro Method in population groups with different affectations. METHODS: Functional capacity was measured using a battery of physical tests (6MWT, Sit and Reach modified, Timed Get Up and Go, Up and Down Stairs, Handgrip, Purdue Pegboard) and psychological tests (GDS, POMS, CUBRECAVI, BDI, FHAQ , STAI). Participants, both in the elderly and in Fibromyalgia, were randomly divided into two groups, one experimental that performed the intervention program of 32 sessions Centauro Method, and another control that did not perform any type of extra programmed activity. Pretest and posttest measurements were performed. Results: In the group of elderly people, except for left hand dynamometry, improvements were obtained in all the assessment tests, highlighting those obtained in the field of psychological condition. For the fibromyalgia intervention group, in all areas, without exception, benefits were obtained, highlighting also those obtained in the psychological condition. Conclusions: It can be concluded, in the light of the results obtained, that the objectives set out in the study have been achieved. The improvements achieved for the two groups in all areas of assessment demonstrate the effectiveness of the Centauro method, which is developed under the premises of improvement of the physical, perceptive-motor and psychological condition. In turn, it has been validated as an intervention training program in both the elderly and the fibromyalgia group, since it leads to a general improvement from a preintervention situation to a postintervention situation. This improvement is undoubtedly linked to the Centauro intervention training program, since in the control group, where the intervention is not applied, there is no general improvement in the results over time. It should be noted that the validation is given by the same positive results obtained and referenced in the corresponding sections. Therefore, it is spoken of an experimental validation, by practice test. Also, in view of the results, the Centauro method is shown as a useful proposal also from a didactic pedagogical dimension, while objectives are set, specific activities are involved, and the whole process and results are evaluated through different tests.