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Effect of a standardized physical therapy program on objective and subjective balance in people with multiple sclerosis: a single- group, pretest-posttest study
ECTRIMS Online Library. Santoyo C. Oct 25, 2017; 199836
Abstract: EP1816
Type: ePoster
Abstract Category: Therapy - symptomatic - 33 Treatment of specific symptoms
Background: Imbalance is a frequent problem in MS and contributes to considerable patient burden, affecting outcomes such as independence, community participation and quality of life.
Objective: To evaluate the effect of a standardized exercise programme on objective and subjective balance in people with mild to moderate multiple sclerosis (MS).
Methods: Prospective data were obtained from all patients with an EDSS ≤ 6.5 who were admitted and completed a rehabilitation period at the Neurorehabilitation Unit of Cemcat during the second semester of 2016. Patients carried out a 3 days per week 5 months long outpatient rehabilitation program. The standardized physical group therapy programme included three major components modified according to each patient specific impairment and functional needs: muscular training, balance training and gait re-education strategies. Outcome measures included the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), the Timed Up and Go Test (TUG) and the Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABC) measured before and after the rehabilitation programme. Data on self-reported falls (indoors and outdoors) was collected retrospectively by interview
Results: Fifty people with MS (32% men) were included with a mean age of 51.44 years and a median EDSS of 4.5. Fifty-four percent had relapsing remitting MS, 25% had secondary progressive MS, 18% had primary progressive MS and one patient, 2%, had a transitional form.
All three clinical outcome measures demonstrated statistically significant improvements after the intervention (BBS change of means: from 46.14 to 48.78, p< 0.05 - TUG change of means: 15.36s to 13.88s, p< 0.05 - ABC change of means: 46.40 to 52.65, p< 0.05). Percentage of participants improving in each of the outcome measures was: BBS (44%), TUG (18%), and ABC (54%). A reduction of fallers and falls, statistically significant, was also reported between the pre and post intervention period.
Conclusions: Our findings are in line with previously published results providing evidence that targeted physiotherapy interventions can positively affect balance performance and decrease falls in PwMS. Improvement in static balance, dynamic balance and self-related perception of imbalance was statistically significant. A decrease in the number of falls and the proportion of fallers pre and post-intervention was also noted.
ECTRIMS Online Library. Santoyo C. Oct 25, 2017; 199836
Abstract: EP1816
Type: ePoster
Abstract Category: Therapy - symptomatic - 33 Treatment of specific symptoms
Background: Imbalance is a frequent problem in MS and contributes to considerable patient burden, affecting outcomes such as independence, community participation and quality of life.
Objective: To evaluate the effect of a standardized exercise programme on objective and subjective balance in people with mild to moderate multiple sclerosis (MS).
Methods: Prospective data were obtained from all patients with an EDSS ≤ 6.5 who were admitted and completed a rehabilitation period at the Neurorehabilitation Unit of Cemcat during the second semester of 2016. Patients carried out a 3 days per week 5 months long outpatient rehabilitation program. The standardized physical group therapy programme included three major components modified according to each patient specific impairment and functional needs: muscular training, balance training and gait re-education strategies. Outcome measures included the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), the Timed Up and Go Test (TUG) and the Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABC) measured before and after the rehabilitation programme. Data on self-reported falls (indoors and outdoors) was collected retrospectively by interview
Results: Fifty people with MS (32% men) were included with a mean age of 51.44 years and a median EDSS of 4.5. Fifty-four percent had relapsing remitting MS, 25% had secondary progressive MS, 18% had primary progressive MS and one patient, 2%, had a transitional form.
All three clinical outcome measures demonstrated statistically significant improvements after the intervention (BBS change of means: from 46.14 to 48.78, p< 0.05 - TUG change of means: 15.36s to 13.88s, p< 0.05 - ABC change of means: 46.40 to 52.65, p< 0.05). Percentage of participants improving in each of the outcome measures was: BBS (44%), TUG (18%), and ABC (54%). A reduction of fallers and falls, statistically significant, was also reported between the pre and post intervention period.
Conclusions: Our findings are in line with previously published results providing evidence that targeted physiotherapy interventions can positively affect balance performance and decrease falls in PwMS. Improvement in static balance, dynamic balance and self-related perception of imbalance was statistically significant. A decrease in the number of falls and the proportion of fallers pre and post-intervention was also noted.