APRIL 2023 THE RIDER /15 Equine-facilitated therapy improved the functioning of patients with low back pain Patients with chronic low back pain may benefit from equine-fa-


cilitated therapy (EFT), a new study from the University of Eastern Finland shows. During a 12-week intervention, the perceived amount of pain decreased, and the ability of daily functioning improved among EFT participants. The findings were published in Frontiers in Veteri- nary Science. The study set out to evaluate the impact of EFT on perceived


physical performance, level of pain, pain acceptance, depression and anxiety, and quality of life. The study was conducted in Finland, and it involved a total of 22 men and women suffering from low back pain. The 12-week intervention showed that EFT can be used to im-


prove people’s daily functioning. Statistically significant improvement was observed in domains pertaining to sleep, reaching and bending forward, and standing for a long period of time. By gradually increasing the exercise load, it was also possible to


reduce patients’ perceived amount of pain, 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 the follow-up interviews, patients highlighted the perceived


physical, psychological and social effects of EFT, showing that the in- tervention had a comprehensive impact on their rehabilitation. Statistically significant quantitative improvement was observed for mental health: during the intervention, patients’ social functioning


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improved and their depression decreased – something that was also high- lighted in the interviews: “The created group effect was a positive experi- ence.” “Chronic back pain is a multidimensional experience involving not


only physical pain but also learned thinking patterns and emotional reac- tions. Traditionally, physical therapy has been recommended for the reha- bilitation of patients with chronic pain, as physical exercise has been found to be the most effective way to treat spinal pain. Hippocrates already rec- ommended using equine movement as a form of physical and psychological rehabilitation for people, but the exact reason behind the rehabilitative effect has remained unknown thus far,” says Doctoral Researcher Sanna Mattila- Rautiainen of the University of Eastern Finland. The gait of a horse encourages the right kind of lumbar movement Equine-facilitated therapy brought relief to patients with chronic pain


who had been incapable for work for several years. “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. In the intervention, sitting on a horse to 100 walk-like movements per


minute was found beneficial: “The movement felt good - the horse moved me correctly.” “There is no other way to exercise like this.” Incorrect movement maintains a vicious circle of pain and affects peo-


ple’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 in- creased, within the limits of pain. Patients’ opinions were also heard regard- ing the choice of their horse and equipment. In Finland, equine-facilitated therapy is a form of medical rehabilita-


tion that 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. Mattila-Rautiainen has more than 20 years of experience in using EFT in the rehabilitation of pa- tients with back pain, working in close collaboration with regional social welfare and healthcare authorities in the Kainuu region, Finland.


For further information, please contact: Doctoral Researcher Sanna Mattila-Rautiainen, University of Eastern


Finland, Institute of Biomedicine, Sports and Exercise Medicine, sanna.mat- tila-rautiainen (a)uef.fi


Research article: Mattila-Rautiainen S, Venojärvi M, Rautiainen H and Keski-Valkama A (2023). The impact on physical per- formance, pain and psychological wellbeing of chronic low back pain patients during 12-weeks of equine-facili- tated therapy intervention. Front. Vet. Sci. 10:1085768. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2023.1085768


ht tps: / /news.cision.com/universi ty-of-eastern- finland/r/equine-facilitated-therapy-improved-the-func- tioning-of-patients-with-low-back-pain,c3734490


Obituary: Lantz McLaren


It is with great sadness the McLaren family an-


nounces the sudden passing of Lantz at the Arnprior and District Memorial Hospital on Friday morning, March 10, 2023 at the age of 55. Dear son of Gary (Val) and Frances Gregan. Beloved husband of Deborah (nee McGrail) and father to Tyler (Helene Gardiner) and Josh (Victoria Hutchinson). Cherished and proud “Pa” of Sadie and William. Dear big brother of Sharon MacIntosh, Joanne Stanton (Andrew Green), Jon Stanton and Clayton McLaren (Julie). Lovingly remembered by many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins and so many wonderful friends, clients and colleagues. Lantz was an amazing trainer, coach, judge and cli-


nician, providing wisdom, support, knowledge, encour- agement, and lots of laughs and enjoyment of the sport he excelled at. Horses to Lantz were providers of calm and peace in a sometimes polarizing and difficult world. As one dear friend said, ‘horses were often the medicine, but Lantz was the magic.” Final care has been entrusted to the Pilon Family Fu-


neral Home and Chapel Ltd., 50 John Street North, Arn- prior where visitation will be held on Saturday afternoon, March 18th from 2 to 4:15 p.m. A Tribute to honour and celebrate Lantz’ life will then take place in the Pilon Fam- ily Chapel at 4:30 followed by a Horseman’s procession as Lantz’s casket leaves the funeral home. (The service will be webcast live). The family have requested that in order to truly honour Lantz, wear your Wranglers or come as you are. No formal attire is necessary. In his memory, please consider a donation to The


Heart and Stroke Foundation.


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