Stabilometric Assessment of Balance Recovery in Persons With Multiple Sclerosis

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Multiple Sclerosis
• Interventions: Other: Sensory training

• Registration Number: NCT02131285
• Lead Sponsor: Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi Onlus

Brief Summary

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.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2005-01
• Primary Completion: 2007-09
• Study Completion: 2007-09
• Study First Submitted: 2014-04-24
• Status Verified: 2014-05
• Study First Submitted QC: 2014-05-05
• Last Update Submitted: 2014-05-05
• Study First Posted: 2014-05-06
• Last Update Posted: 2014-05-06

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 53

Inclusion Criteria

• Clinically or laboratory definite relapsing-remitting, primary or secondary progressive MS

Exclusion Criteria

• Inability to stand independently in upright position for 30 seconds
• Inability to walk for 6 m even with an assistive device

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Sensory training	Sensory training	Experimental group received balance rehabilitation aimed at improving motor strategies and sensory strategies. Subjects in this group were treated to improve recovery of sensory impairment and were given exercises in the impaired sensory conditions, inhibiting the reliable sensory systems and forcing the Central Nervous System to use the impaired ones.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change from baseline at three weeks (end of treatment) for the following variables: Length [mm]; Velocity[mm/s]; Sway[mm]	Baseline, 3 weeks (end of treatment)	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;

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Number of falls	baseline, 3 weeks (end of treatment)

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Fondazione Don Gnocchi ONLUS; 🇮🇹 Milan, Italy