Impact of Fatigue Induced by a Functional Task on Balance Control in Individuals With Multiple Sclerosis

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Rehabilitation Science
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Fatigue is a common symptom in multiple sclerosis (MS) that impacts daily activities.
• Impaired balance and increased fall risk are significant concerns for individuals with MS.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of functional task-induced fatigue on balance control in individuals with MS.
• To compare balance performance in MS patients and healthy controls after a fatiguing task.

Main Methods:

• 10 individuals with MS and 10 healthy controls performed a functional sit-to-stand task to induce fatigue.
• Dynamic Posturography, including Motor Control and Sensory Organization Tests, was administered before, after fatigue, and after rest.
• Analysis focused on reaction latencies and equilibrium scores.

Main Results:

• Individuals with MS exhibited longer motor control latencies, especially after fatigue during forward perturbations.
• Post-fatigue, the MS group showed significantly poorer performance in Sensory Organization Tests (eyes closed, sway-referenced visual surround, sway-referenced support surface).
• Functional fatigue demonstrably worsened balance control outcomes in the MS group.

Conclusions:

• Fatigue induced by functional activities significantly compromises balance control in individuals with MS.
• These findings highlight the critical role of fatigue in balance deficits and fall risk in MS.
• Further research is warranted to explore fatigue management strategies for improving balance in MS.