Multiple Sclerosis
Conditions
Keywords
rehabilitation, physical therapy
Brief summary
This study will pilot a strengthening intervention targeted to muscles found to be important to gait in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). Previous studies that have tried to strengthen leg and trunk muscles in people with MS have failed to improve walking ability consistently. The investigators think that is because strengthening exercises were not targeted to the correct muscle groups. For this study the investigators propose targeting muscle groups that they have found to be strong contributors to walking in a prior study. This is the first study to target these muscles, so the investigators propose doing a small trial to first evaluate the feasibility of the strength program and the outcomes. The investigators will measure strength and walking measures twice before and once after an 8-week strengthening intervention in a single group of 10 people with MS who are able to walk independently. The results of this study will help inform future, larger trials that could change the way strength training is conducted in people with MS.
Interventions
OTHERStrength exercise
Strengthening exercises performed with physical therapist.
Sponsors
University of Colorado, Denver
Study design
Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 65 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
1. People with MS, 2. Age 18-65, 3. A confirmed diagnosis of MS, and 4. Are ambulatory for 100m without an assistive device (EDDS 0-5.5), and 5. Have a gait speed measured by time to walk the 25-foot walk test of at least five seconds.
Exclusion criteria
1. Subjects are not ambulatory, 2. Subjects rely on a wheelchair, 3. Subjects cannot ambulate 100m (EDDS 6 or greater) without use of assistive devices, braces, or orthotics, 4. Walk the T25FW in less than five seconds, 5. Have lower extremity spasticity of 2 or greater on the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS), 6. Have pain or other conditions that limit ambulation or ability to test muscle strength, 7. Cannot give consent, 8. Cannot follow simple directions, 9. Have had an exacerbation in the past month, 10. Have had changes to their drug therapy in the last month, 11. Have other neurologic diagnoses, or 12. Are currently undergoing physical therapy for strength training.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in Muscle Strength | Week 0 (Baseline 1); Week 1 (Baseline 2); Week 10 (Follow-Up) | Muscle strength measured by hand-held dynamometry (HHD) and clinical strength tests |
| Change in Timed 25 Foot Walk (T25FW) | Week 0 (Baseline 1); Week 1 (Baseline 2); Week 10 (Follow-Up) | Gait speed over a 25 foot distance |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in 6-Minute Walk Test | Week 0 (Baseline 1); Week 1 (Baseline 2); Week 10 (Follow-Up) | Gait endurance |
| Change in Dynamic Gait Index | Week 0 (Baseline 1); Week 1 (Baseline 2); Week 10 (Follow-Up) | Balance during gait and other functional activities |
| Change in Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale-12 | Week 0 (Baseline 1); Week 1 (Baseline 2); Week 10 (Follow-Up) | Self-report measure of limitations in walking related activities |
| Change in Patient Specific Functional Scale | Week 0 (Baseline 1); Week 10 (Follow-Up) | Self reported measure of self-selected limitations in participation |
Countries
United States
Outcome results
None listed