Rehabilitation in multiple sclerosis in 2021

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Physical Therapy

Background:

• Multiple sclerosis (MS) frequently causes locomotor impairment, significantly impacting patient mobility and quality of life.
• While traditional rehabilitation is established, emerging technologies offer new avenues for managing MS-related symptoms.
• Recent advancements focus on innovative therapeutic approaches to address specific MS challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize recent (past 5 years) therapeutic techniques for multiple sclerosis rehabilitation.
• To focus on symptom-specific advancements including balance, gait, upper limb function, fatigue, and spasticity.
• To evaluate the efficacy of novel and traditional methods in improving patient outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of studies published within the last five years on MS rehabilitation.
• Categorization of techniques based on targeted symptoms: balance, gait, upper limb disorders, fatigue, spasticity.
• Analysis of evidence for various interventions including physical exercise, neuromotor rehabilitation, robotic training, and non-invasive brain stimulation.

Main Results:

• Neuromotor rehabilitation, physical exercise, rhythmic auditory stimulation, gait robot training, and exergaming show effectiveness for balance and gait disorders.
• Physical exercise is the primary intervention demonstrating positive effects on fatigue management.
• Non-invasive brain stimulation shows promise for spasticity, while upper limb rehabilitation benefits from functional task repetition, robotics, and action observation training.

Conclusions:

• Rehabilitation interventions positively impact pyramidal symptoms and fatigue in MS patients.
• Therapeutic approaches enhance neuroplasticity and may offer neuroprotective effects.
• Integrating new technologies into rehabilitation strategies is crucial for improving functional outcomes and quality of life in multiple sclerosis.