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November 2004

RIDING TOWARD THERAPEUTIC RESULTS
Patients with disabilities ranging from cerebral palsy to Down syndrome and autism may find positive therapeutic results in hippotherapy, or horse therapy, a rehabilitation treatment method growing in popularity, where horses are used as therapeutic tools. Special Strides Riding Center, a nonprofit organization located on Congress Hill Farm in Monroe, NJ, has been offering hippotherapy treatment for children for the past 6 years.

"There are more and more programs opening up, and the professional organizations of physical therapists and occupational therapists are pushing harder for hippotherapy awareness and programs," says Susie Rehr, a physical therapist and one of three directors at Special Strides.

Hippotherapy involves treatment sessions in a controlled environment where the aim is not to teach specific riding skills, but to improve neurological function and sensory processing. The horse's walk, which is variable, rhythmic, and repetitive, provides sensory input to riders, resulting in movement patterns in the rider's pelvis that are similar to the gait of humans walking. Hippotherapy has also been shown to affect psychological, cognitive, communication, and behavioral functions for patients.

"One of the main advantages of hippotherapy at Special Strides is that it is really fun for children," says Rehr. "The children's nervous system is very open and ready to absorb any information, because it does not realize it is doing any work."

Special Strides, which targets only children, offers hour-long sessions that focus on motor development or sensory development, depending on a child's disability. Through active fund-raising, Special Strides is able to offer hippotherapy, a usually expensive treatment, to children at more affordable prices. Its staff includes physical therapists, occupational therapists, a therapeutic riding specialist, and approximately 20 volunteers. Due to its landscape, Special Strides offers varied riding experiences for children whether they are riding on flat trails or through the uneven surface of the woods.

"If the patients are nonambulatory, riding horses is a unique experience for them since they are getting continuous symmetric input into a nervous system that doesn't normally get that kind of symmetry," says Rehr.

More information on hippotherapy can be found at the American Hippotherapy Association and the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association.

WALKERS WARD OFF ALZHEIMER'S, DEMENTIA
The health benefits of walking are not limited to weight loss and physical fitness-new research shows that walking may help in preventing mental decline and Alzheimer's disease, as well as dementia. The new findings are published in a recent issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

The first study, "Walking and Dementia in Physically Capable Elderly Men," involved 2,257 retired, physically capable men in Hawaii ages 71 to 93, and showed that those who walked less than a quarter-mile a day were almost twice as likely to develop Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia than men who walked more than two miles daily.

Researchers used retired men to isolate the effects of walking from those of work-related activities. Patient history, a standardized neuropsychological evaluation, and a thorough neurological examination were used for diagnosis of dementia during follow-up assessments. To gauge participants' progress, they were asked about the average distance walked per day; adjustments were made for genetic susceptibility to dementia. Results of the study showed that physically capable elderly men who walk more regularly are less likely to develop dementia.

Another study, "Physical Activity, Including Walking, and Cognitive Function in Older Women," looked at 16,466 female nurses ages 70 to 81, and found that women who walked a leisurely 1.5 hours a week performed better on tests of mental function than less active women.

For this study, women reported participation in leisure-time physical activities on biennial mailed questionnaires. Every 2 years, telephone assessments were conducted to assess general cognition, verbal memory, attention, and category fluency. Results showed that women who were more physically active in leisure-time activities showed improved cognitive function and less cognitive decline.

FEWER WOMEN CHOOSE CARDIAC REHAB
More men choose to participate in cardiac rehabilitation after suffering from a heart attack than women and seniors, says a new study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, which also shows that cardiac rehabilitation lowers the risk of dying or having a second heart attack within 3 years.

Patients who partake in cardiac rehabilitation receive medically supervised exercise sessions, as well as education and counseling sessions about stress management and making lifestyle changes.

For the study, researchers looked closely at heart attack patients' participation in cardiac rehabilitation and the relationship between their participation and survival. Out of 1,821 men and women who experienced a heart attack between 1982 and 1988, 55% of the patients signed up for an outpatient cardiac rehabilitation program; women were 55% less likely than men to opt for the program, and only 32% of people older than 70 years chose to participate.

Results after approximately 7 years of follow-up showed that 774 people died and 493 experienced another heart attack. The participants in the cardiac rehabilitation program showed they had 56% lower risk of death and a 28% reduced risk of experiencing a second heart attack within 3 years of the first. Overall, 95% of the program participants survived 3 years after suffering a heart attack, compared to 64% of nonparticipants.

Authors of the study attributed the low participation rates among women and seniors to the misguided perceptions about the risk of heart disease in women versus men, stating that although heart disease is the number one killer of women, breast cancer receives more attention.

INDUSTRY UPDATE

AOTA Announces New Executives
Fred Somers, executive director of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), announced a new organizational structure to align the national office structure in support of Board priorities.

Christina Metzler will serve as the chief of public affairs officer and head a new Division of Public Affairs that will incorporate AOTA's public policy and public awareness activities. Metzler, will also be responsible for all of the organization's legislative, regulatory, reimbursement, media, and public relations activities.

Stepping into a newly created position of chief operating officer and overseeing a new Business Operations Division is Christopher Bluhm. The new division will include marketing and communications, membership, advertising sales, corporate relations and the fund, and exhibits.

Maureen Peterson and Chuck Partridge will continue to hold their positions chief professional affairs officer and chief financial officer, respectively.

Ellen Philips was named executive office manager.

Gordon Joins Gunnell
Don Gordon will serve as president of Gunnell Inc, Millington, Mich, effective October 15th, 2004. Dwight Gay, the previous owner of Gunnell will remain on board as an engineering and clinical consultant.

Gordon brings with him 10 years of industry experience as vice president, and as sales and marketing manager of two successful seating and positioning companies.

He is active in NRRTS, RESNA and holds an MBA in marketing, as well as a master's degree in advertising.

Gordon has also been working with Body Tech NW, Mukilteo, Wash, guiding its resurgence into the marketplace. He sees a synergy between these two companies and will work to continue the relationship.

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