Background: Balance control relies on accurate perception of visual, somatosensory and vestibular cues. Sensory flow is impaired in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and little is known about the ability of the sensory systems to adapt after neurological lesions reducing sensory impairment. The aims of the present study were to verify whether: 1. Balance rehabilitation administered in a challenging sensory conditions would improve stability in upright posture 2. the improvement in a treated sensory condition would transfer to a non treated sensory condition. Methods: Fifty three persons with Multiple Sclerosis, median (min-max) Expanded Disability Status Scale score of 5 (2.5-6.5), participated in a Randomized Controlled Trial and were randomly assigned to two groups. The Experimental group received balance rehabilitation aimed at improving motor and sensory strategies. The Control group received rehabilitation treatment which did not include training of sensory strategies. Persons with Multiple Sclerosis were blindly assessed by means of a stabilometric platform with eyes open, eyes closed and dome, on both firm surface and foam. Anterior-posterior and medio-lateral sway, velocity of sway and the length of Center of Pressure (CoP) trajectory were calculated in the six sensory conditions.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
53
Fondazione Don Gnocchi ONLUS
Milan, Italy
Change from baseline at three weeks (end of treatment) for the following variables: Length [mm]; Velocity[mm/s]; Sway[mm]
Multivariate assessment. Length \[mm\]: length of CoP trajectory computed as sum of CoP displacement on the platform surface for each frame; Velocity: velocity of oscillations along anterior-posterior (VelAP) and medio-lateral (VelML) axes. These are computed as the first time derivative of CoP AP and ML displacement. Sway: standard deviation of CoP time series along anterior-posterior (SwayAP) and medio-lateral (SwayML) axes;
Time frame: Baseline, 3 weeks (end of treatment)
Number of falls
Time frame: baseline, 3 weeks (end of treatment)
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