Gait changes with balance-based torso-weighting in people with multiple sclerosis

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Biomechanics
• Rehabilitation Science

Background:

• Multiple sclerosis (MS) frequently causes mobility impairments, increasing fall risk and activity limitations.
• Current physiotherapy interventions for MS mobility issues require several weeks to show effects.
• Balance-based torso-weighting (BBTW) offers immediate, though small, clinical improvements in MS, but its impact on gait parameters is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the immediate effects of BBTW on spatiotemporal gait parameters.
• To compare the effects of BBTW on gait in people with MS (PwMS) and healthy controls.

Main Methods:

• A non-randomized controlled experiment was conducted.
• Twenty PwMS and 20 matched healthy controls participated.
• Participants walked on an instrumented mat under two conditions: without BBTW and with BBTW, at self-selected fastest speeds and matched velocities for controls.

Main Results:

• PwMS exhibited significantly increased gait velocity, cadence, and single-limb support time with BBTW.
• PwMS showed decreased double-limb support time with BBTW, suggesting improved gait stability.
• Healthy controls also demonstrated increased velocity and cadence with BBTW, with some differences in support base and step length compared to PwMS.

Conclusions:

• BBTW led to immediate improvements in gait velocity and cadence for both PwMS and healthy controls.
• Enhanced single-limb and double-limb support times in PwMS suggest improved gait stability with BBTW.
• These findings indicate potential for BBTW to augment long-term physiotherapy outcomes for functional mobility in PwMS.