Treadmill exercise in early mutiple sclerosis: a case series study

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Exercise Physiology

Background:

• Balance and walking disorders are common in multiple sclerosis (MS), impacting patient mobility and quality of life.
• The efficacy of specific exercise therapies for managing these MS-related deficits requires further investigation with reproducible measurement systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility and effects of an aerobic treadmill rehabilitation protocol (endurance training) on walking parameters, muscular activity, and postural balance in minimally impaired MS patients.
• To utilize instrumental measures to detect minimal motor dysfunction not apparent in standard clinical examinations.

Main Methods:

• A case series involving three minimally impaired MS patients undergoing a four-week aerobic treadmill endurance training program.
• Outcome measures included posturographic assessment, energy cost measurement, gait analysis (basography), and surface electromyography.

Main Results:

• Reduced energy cost during treadmill walking was observed in all three patients post-exercise.
• Postural stability, measured by sway path and area, improved in two patients, especially with eyes closed.
• Gait patterns showed minor changes in foot placement, and muscular activity patterns tended to normalize after training.

Conclusions:

• Aerobic treadmill exercise is a feasible and safe rehabilitation strategy for early-stage MS patients with minimal impairment.
• The proposed instrumental measurement set can identify subclinical postural and gait anomalies in individuals with very low functional involvement.
• This approach supports an impairment-oriented rehabilitation strategy for MS.