Effects of Functional Electrical Stimulation Cycling Versus Cycling Only on Walking and Quality of Life in MS

Not Applicable

Completed

Conditions: Multiple Sclerosis

Registration Number: NCT02606604

Lead Sponsor: Stony Brook University

Brief Summary: This study will seek to determine the benefits that FES-LE cycling has over cycling alone on walking performance and quality of life in people with multiple sclerosis.

Detailed Description: Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) is a rehabilitation tool that stimulates nerves via electrical current, causing muscles to contract. When FES is appled to leg muscles during stationary cycling the legs move in a fixed rhythmical pattern. Previous studies have demonstrated that FES during cycling is a safe and effective exercise for individuals recovering from spinal cord injury or stroke, but few have applied this tool to a progressive disorder, such as multiple sclerosis (MS). The aim of this study is to assess the immediate and short-term effect of an 8-week training program comparing FES lower extremity cycling to cycling without FES. Twenty volunteers with MS will participate. They will be randomly assigned to a training group. This study examine the effects of training on quality of life, endurance, walking speed, and step quality. Participants will sign an informed consent and complete a questionnaire that includes medical history and demographic data. Before training, immediately after training finishes and one month after training, self-report questionnaires, timed walking tests will be completed. During the walking tests, step quality and speed will be measured with a sensor that is worn on a belt

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status: COMPLETED

Sex: All

Target Recruitment: 15

Inclusion Criteria

Medical Diagnosis of MS
Patient-determined Disease Steps score between 3.0 and 6.0 inclusive
Ability to attend training sessions 3 times per week for an 8-10 week period
Passing a submaximal exercise test
Adequate hip range of motion (at least 110 degrees)
Adequate knee range of motion (10-90 degrees)

Exclusion Criteria

Cognitive deficits that would interfere in ability to sign consent and understand the procedures for the study.
History or presence of other neurological pathologies that interfere with movement
Received physical therapy within the last 4 weeks prior to the study
History of an acute exacerbation of their MS symptoms within 4 weeks prior to the study
Immunosuppressive or steroid therapy within the past 4 weeks
Significant spasticity in the legs that interferes with the cycling motion
History of congestive heart failure
Coronary Artery Disease
Uncontrolled Hypertension
History of epilepsy or seizures
Cardiac demand pacemaker or implanted defibrillator
Unhealed fractures in the legs
Pressure sores or open wounds on the legs
Pregnant or trying to conceive

Study & Design

Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL

Study Design: PARALLEL

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Gait Velocity: Timed Walking	12 weeks	Gait velocity was reported in meters/second based on a 25 foot walk test called the Timed 25 foot Walk Test. Faster gait speeds are better outcomes.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Overall Self-reported Quality of Life Using Multiple Sclerosis Quality of Life- 54	8 weeks	The Multiple Sclerosis Quality of Life-54 is a self-report quality of life questionnaire. It measures health-related quality of life using both generic and disease-specific measures and was constructed by experts in the field. There is no overall score for this scale since it contains 12 subscales, two summary scores, and two single-item measures. The quality of life subscale was the chosen outcome measure reported below. The scores range from 0-100. Higher scores on the scale notes improved outcome.
Self-reported Fatigue Using Modified Fatigue Impact Scale	8 weeks	The Modified Fatigue Impact Scale is a 21 item self-report questionnaire that takes 5-10 minutes to complete. It uses a 5-point likert scale to rate the patient's perception of how Multiple Sclerosis related fatigue affects an individual's life on an everyday basis. It contains three subscales that include: cognitive, physical, and psychosocial dimensions. Scores on the subscales can be analyzed individually or as a summed score to give an overall fatigue score. Higher scores indicate a greater impact of fatigue. The minimum score is a 0 and the maximum score is 81.
Self-reported Walking Using 12 Item Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale	8 weeks	The Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale is a 12-item self-report questionnaire that takes approximately 10 minutes to complete and reflects a persons' perception of the impact that multiple sclerosis has on walking ability during the past 2 weeks. Each of the items scored ranges from 1 to 5, in which higher scores indicate a greater impact of multiple sclerosis on their walking. Scores on the 12 items are summed. To transform to a 0-100 scale, the minimum score of 12 is subtracted from the sum; the result is divided by 48 and then multiplied by 100. The lowest score is 0 and the highest score is 100. Higher scores mean a worse outcome.