Motor Learning of Fall Resistant Skills Through Slip and Trip Exposure in Multiple Sclerosis
Sponsored by Georgia State University
About this study
The primary purpose of this interventional study is to examine the overall motor learning capacity from exposure to repeated perturbations among ambulatory people with multiple sclerosis (MS). This project will advance our understanding of learning new motor skills from exposure to external perturbations. If it is proven that people with MS can learn motor skills from perturbation training, the findings from this study will pave a theoretical foundation for applying perturbation training as a promising fall prevention intervention for people with MS.
Falls present a significant health risk for people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). Perturbation training has emerged as a promising strategy to prevent falls. This type of training, which is based on sensorimotor adaptation and motor learning, capitalizes on the central nervous system's (CNS) ability to develop new motor skills. With repeated exposure to large-scale slip or trip perturbations, participants can quickly learn how to better respond to falls. The primary benefits of this training include improved dynamic stability control, both proactively and reactively, by adjusting the body's center of mass (COM) relative to its base of support (BOS). Sixty-four individuals with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) will be randomly assigned to one of two groups: Group A (training) a…
Where this study is enrolling
- I'm interested
Georgia State University Biomechanics Lab
Atlanta, Georgia
Who can participate
Inclusion criteria
- ✓1. Clinically confirmed multiple sclerosis
- ✓2. At least 45 years old
- ✓3. Able to walk independently at least 25 feet
- ✓4. Able to stand independently for at least 30 seconds
- ✓5. Patient Determined Disability Steps score between 0 and 4
- ✓6. Free from pregnancy
- ✓7. Montreal Cognitive Assessment score of 23 or higher
Exclusion criteria
- ✕1. Previous experience with perturbation training
- ✕2. T-score from the dual x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scan of less than -2.5
- ✕3. Coexisting psychiatric disorders or other neurological conditions, severe medical illness, or cardiovascular diseases
- ✕4. Participants have had a relapse in the past 8 weeks
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Trial data sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov.