EFFECTS OF EQUINE THERAPY ON THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF WOMEN WITH URINARY INCONTINENCE

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.22533/at.ed.1595152518039

• Palavras-chave: Equine therapy; Urinary incontinence; Sexual dysfunction; Quality of life.

• Keywords: Equine therapy; Urinary incontinence; Sexual dysfunction; Quality of life.

• Abstract:

  Urinary incontinence (UI) is a pelvic floor dysfunction, recognized by the complaint of involuntary loss of urine. It is a disabling and embarrassing condition that affects millions of people of all ages, especially women, negatively affecting the quality of their lives in social, physical, psychological and sexual aspects. Current studies demonstrate the significant influence of UI on women's sexual function. Sexual dysfunction (SD) is defined as any impairment of one of the phases of the sexual cycle. Although there are therapeutic resources used for both UI and SD aimed at the integrity of the pelvic floor muscles (PFM), as this is of great importance in controlling continence and supporting the pelvic organs, a therapy on the rise that works on pelvic dissociation, which has been little studied for UI and SD, is equine therapy. It refers to a set of therapeutic techniques that uses the horse from an interdisciplinary approach in the areas of health. One of the most important characteristics of equine therapy is what the horse's stride produces and transmits to the rider. A series of sequential and simultaneous movements, resulting in a three-dimensional movement. This gave rise to an interest in researching the effectiveness of equine therapy as a treatment for urinary incontinence and sexual dysfunction in women. This is an experimental study, carried out in partnership with the Apoiar Equine Therapy Center and the UniCEUB Community Care Center (CAC). The sample consisted of a 69-year-old woman diagnosed with urinary incontinence, who was sexually active and had no equinophobia. Twelve 30-minute equine therapy sessions were held. At the end of the intervention, it was possible to identify a reduction in the number of urine losses and the quantity of urine, a gain in muscle strength of the pelvic floor muscles, an improvement in body awareness of the muscles responsible for continence, physical and psychological repercussions, with a consequent improvement in quality of life and sexual function.