Trunk Rehabilitation Compared to Core Stability in Patients With Multiple Sclerosis

King Abdulaziz University

Status: Active, not recruiting

Conditions: Trunk; Multiple Sclerosis; Physical Therapy

Treatments: Other: Core Stability; Other: Trunk Rehabilitation

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06447571

Trunk Rehabilitation in MS

Details and patient eligibility

About

BACKGROUND Balance, gait, community mobility, and risk of falls are often associated with trunk impairment among people with Multiple Sclerosis (PwMS). Consequently, there is a pressing need for interventions addressing these concerns and exploring the potential effects of trunk rehabilitation.

LONG-TERM GOAL Offering guidance for effective plan selection, potentially included in rehabilitation guidelines for PwMS.

HYPOTHESIS Trunk exercises performed in multiplanar movement on unstable surfaces incorporated with dual-tasks (DT) could improve the functional outcomes more than standard one-plane core stability exercises.

SPECIFIC AIMS Investigating the effectiveness of trunk rehabilitation in PwMS and determining the optimal intervention strategy.

METHODS 50 PwMS randomly assigned into two groups. Trunk Group received trunk exercises on unstable surfaces with DT training, while the Core Group underwent standard one-plane core stability exercises on stable surfaces without DT. Additionally, both received conventional treatment. Primary outcome was the trunk impairment scale (TIS). Secondary outcomes included the Berg balance scale (BBS), Timed Up and Go (TUG), Modified Falls Efficacy (FES), Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and Reintegration to Normal Living Index (RNLI).

SIGNIFICANCE Enhancing our understanding of trunk exercises' benefits and providing valuable guidance to clinicians for choosing the optimal treatment plan.

Full description

There is a lack of comprehensive trunk rehabilitation protocols within the field of multiple sclerosis. The existing studies mostly focus on core stability, pelvic muscles, or alternative methods. Consequently, the aim was to develop a protocol to investigate the potential positive effects of trunk rehabilitation. Drawing from our review of relevant literature, investigators in this study have developed a trunk training protocol that focuses on multiplanar movements carried out on unstable surfaces and additionally, incorporated dual-task training (DT), which adds a layer of complexity.

Enrollment: 40 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 20 to 50 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Clinically diagnosed with MS (McDonald's criteria)
• Able to walk 5 meters without assistance.
• No relapse in the past 2 months.

Exclusion criteria

• Recent surgery.
• Cognitive or psychological dysfunctions.
• Diagnosis of any other systematic disease.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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40 participants in 2 patient groups

Trunk Group

Experimental group

Description:

Trunk exercises in multiplanar movement coupled with dual tasks on unstable surfaces.

Treatment:

Other: Trunk Rehabilitation

Core stability Group

Active Comparator group

Description:

Standard Core stability exercises carried in one plane on stable surfaces without dual tasks.

Treatment:

Other: Core Stability