Balance-Based Torso-Weighting May Enhance Balance in Persons With Multiple Sclerosis: Preliminary Evidence
Presented to the III Step Conference, July 15-21, 2005, Provost, UT, and to the American Physical Therapy Association, June 6-11, 2005, Boston, MA.
Abstract
Widener GL, Allen DD, Gibson-Horn C. Balance-based torso-weighting may enhance balance in persons with multiple sclerosis: preliminary evidence.
Objective
To determine whether weight placed on the trunk in response to directional balance loss would enhance function and stability in people with multiple sclerosis (MS).
Design
Quasi-experimental study in which subjects served as their own controls.
Setting
Research laboratory.
Participants
Subjects (N=16) age 20 to 65 years with MS recruited through the Northern California Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
Interventions
Balance-based torso-weighting where up to 1.5% body weight was placed in a garment on the trunk. Subjects were tested at baseline and then in randomly ordered balance-based torso-weighting and nonweighted garment conditions.
Main Outcome Measures
Sharpened Romberg, eyes open (SREO) and Sharpened Romberg, eyes closed, computerized dynamic platform posturography (CDPP), Timed Up & Go (TUG), and 25-foot timed walk.
Results
Significant improvement (P<.014) was found with SREO in the balance-based torso-weighting compared with nonweighted conditions. CDPP eyes open and TUG showed improvements (P<.03) from baseline to balance-based torso-weighting and nonweighted conditions.
Conclusions
Improved performance in a group of adults with MS was seen when light weights were placed on the torso to counteract balance loss. Placement of weights may have the potential to produce immediate improvements in balance in this population.
aDepartment of Physical Therapy, Samuel Merritt University, Oakland
bGraduate Programs in Physical Therapy, San Francisco State University/University of California—San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
Reprint requests to Gail L. Widener, PhD, PT, Samuel Merritt University, 450 30th St, Oakland, CA 94609
Supported by Samuel Merritt University and the California Physical Therapy Fund (grant no. 02-07).
A commercial party having a direct financial interest in the results of the research supporting this article has conferred or will confer a financial benefit on the author or 1 or more of the authors.
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