Balance and Falls in Multiple Sclerosis

Örebro County Council

Status: Completed

Conditions: Multiple Sclerosis

Treatments: Other: Group balance training

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02209467

Researchweb 153691

Details and patient eligibility

About

The study hypothesis is that for people with moderate to severe multiple sclerosis postural balance and walking improve and the risk of accidental falls are reduced after participating in a specific training intervention of 7 weeks. The hypothesis is also the the effect remain a further 7 weeks post training.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is disease affecting the central nervous system. Walking and postural balance are often affected early in the course of the disease. The risk of falls is large. Many persons with MS have decreased trunk stability compared to healthy persons . In an earlier study including people with mild to moderate MS we found that a period of core stability exercises reduced the risk of falls. In this study the training concept will be applied for persons with more severe walking limitations.

Enrollment: 52 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• diagnosed multiple sclerosis
• Expanded Disability Scale Score of 5-6.5
• walking speed of less than 0.8 m/s as tested on a 10 meter walking test

Exclusion criteria

• Ongoing relapse
• Cognitive or language difficulties that prohibit participating in the intervention or performing the outcome measures
• Change in specific MS medication during the last 30 days

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Crossover Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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52 participants in 2 patient groups

Group balance training late start

No Intervention group

Description:

Participants randomized to late start act as No intervention group during the study period.

Group balance training early start

Experimental group

Description:

Group balance training focusing on core stability exercises 2 times per week for 7 weeks and 2 home training sessions per weeks.

Treatment:

Other: Group balance training