Influence of human-animal bond in human postural stability while conduction a dog

• Grant number: 12/08272-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Master's degree
• Start date: August 01, 2012
• End date: September 30, 2012
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy
• Principal Investigator: Eliane Mauerberg de Castro
• Grantee: Bruna Carla Périco
• Supervisor: Rebecca Johnson
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Rio Claro. Rio Claro , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: University of Missouri, Columbia (UM), United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 11/04209-6 - Levels of human postural stability during driving and handling a dog, BP.MS

Abstract

Human-animal interaction by the conduction of dogs has been used in training protocols, physical activity and animal-assisted therapy. Conduction of dogs through a guide represents a kind of docking between two biological systems, similar to the "anchor" model described by Mauerberg-De Castro and colleagues (2004). The human and the dog anchored to each other through a guide influences posture during a common task. The purpose of this study is to evaluate, over a walk, human postural influences while conduction a dog in terms of challenges to postural control. The challenges in experimental tasks of this study include restriction of base of support for the locomotion and visual deprivation. The purpose of this study is to evaluate, over a walk, human postural influences while conduction a dog in terms of challenges to postural control. The challenges in experimental tasks of this study include restriction of base of support for the locomotion and visual deprivation. We supposed conduction a dog will reflect in improved performance in the control of human gait, especially where vision is obstructed. Through a kinematic analysis, we will assess how the conduction a dog will reflect in the levels of human postural stability. The task is a locomotor task. Participated of this study 10 individuals aged 20 to 30 years. Data collection was held in four experimental conditions: 1) walk on a balance beam with vision and without dog, 2) walk on the beam with the vision and with dog; 3) walk on the beam without vision and without dog, 4) walking on the beam without vision and with dog. Data will be analyzed by the program Dvideow version 5.1. (AU)