August 4, 2022 Columns by Benjamin Hofmeister How My MS Diagnosis Journey Became My Origin Story If I were a superhero (or a supervillain, for that matter), Iād have an origin story. As it stands, Iām not even a minor hero in real life, and only a mediocre one when appearing in my own stories. Iām just a guy with multiple sclerosis, and all I…
June 10, 2022 Columns by Ed Tobias Does Medical Marijuana Help the Pain That Comes With MS? Will your doctor approve you to buy medical marijuana (MMJ)? Two of mine will and one won’t. The doctor who won’t, a primary care physician who works within a medical group, told me it’s the group’s policy. The problem, she explained, is that there are no guidelines. How do you…
May 27, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Immersive Virtual Reality May Improve Treadmill Gait Training Immersive virtual reality may make treadmill exercise more engaging and effective for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) or other conditions that can make walking difficult, according to new research. The findings were published in theĀ Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation, in the study “Immersive virtual reality…
March 31, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Machine Learning of Walking Patterns Could Help Predict MS Progression A machine learning-based method that examines walking abnormalities in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) could help identify patients who are at high risk of worsening symptoms, a study suggests. The study, “Predicting Multiple Sclerosis from Gait Dynamics Using an Instrumented Treadmill ā A Machine Learning Approach,”…
March 29, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS PoNS Device to Help Adults in Rehab for Walking Problems Gets FDA Approval The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized the use of a medical device called Portable Neuromodulation StimulatorĀ or PoNS as a short-term treatment for walking difficulties in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). PoNS, developed by Helius Medical Technologies, is a non-invasive medical device…
August 11, 2020 News by InĆŖs Martins, PhD PoNS Device Under Review by FDA for Treating Walking Problems in MS Helius Medical Technologies has filed an application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) asking for de novo classification and clearance of itsĀ portable neuromodulation stimulator (PoNS) device for the treatment of walking deficits in multiple…
May 14, 2020 Columns by Jennifer (Jenn) Powell Multiple Sclerosis and Melodies: Healing Through Music Music is a spiritual experience. I love music in all of its forms. I grew up being serenaded by parents harmonizing everything from the Phi Gam fight song to Peter, Paul and Mary. After crucifying the clarinet, I played the piano until my late teens. I have fond memories of…
May 14, 2020 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD FDA Grants Breakthrough Device Designation to Helius’ PoNS Device The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted breakthrough device designation to Helius Medical Technologiesā portable neuromodulation stimulator (PoNS) for the treatment of walking impairments in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. The device, which is meant to be used…
March 26, 2020 News by Vanessa Pataia Helius Medical Technologies Authorized by Health Canada to Market PoNS Device The neurotechnology company Helius Medical TechnologiesĀ has received authorization from Health CanadaĀ to market its portable neuromodulation stimulator (PoNS) device to treat gait deficit in patients with mild-to-moderate multiple sclerosis…
February 18, 2020 News by Catarina Silva Incontinence in MS Affects Walking Ability, Negatively Impacts Patients’ Quality of Life, Study Finds Urinary incontinence,Ā associated with poor functioning of the muscles in the pelvic area, was found to have a negative impact on daily activities like walking and overall quality of life in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a study shows. Adding pelvic floor muscle training to an MS…
January 22, 2020 News by Mary Chapman Pilot Study Participant Helping Test Exoskeleton Device for MS Therapy Encouraged by Results Since being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) 20 years ago, Kathy Miskaās ability to walk has steadily worsened, especially in recent years. As a participant of a pilot study at the Cleveland Clinic Mellen Center for Multiple Sclerosis, however, she is cheered by the effect of…
October 1, 2019 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD FeetMe Raises ā¬9.4M to Advance Gait and Posture Technology for Patients with Movement Disorders FeetMe, a medical device company dedicated to the development of devices and digital health services to improve patientsā mobility, has raised ā¬9.4 million ($10.25 million) in Series A fundingĀ to boost the commercialization of its innovative technology for clinical trials and regular clinical practice in hospitals and…
February 4, 2019 News by Jonathan Grinstein Gait Disorders and Depression at Onset May Delay Time to MS Diagnosis, Study Finds Awareness of certain symptoms, particularly gait disorders and depression, could be critical for reducing the time it takes to diagnose multiple sclerosisĀ after a patient first contacts a healthcare provider, research shows. In the past 30 years, there has been a major decrease in the time from the…
January 2, 2019 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD Top 10 Multiple Sclerosis Stories of 2018 Multiple Sclerosis News Today brought you daily coverage of key findings, treatment developments, andĀ clinical trials related to multiple sclerosis (MS) throughout 2018. We look forward to reporting more news to patients, family members, and caregivers dealing with MS during 2019. Here are the top 10 most-read articles of…
December 13, 2018 News by Ana Pena PhD Lipoic Acid Supplements May Help to Delay Decline in Walking Speed in SPMS Patients, Study Says Lipoic acid (LA), an over-the-counter antioxidant supplement, helps to mildly delay a decline in walking speed inĀ secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS)Ā patients, particularly those with lesser disability, analysis of a small, two-year clinical study reports. No improvements were seen in balance among…
May 4, 2018 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD Patients’ Walking Abilities in ‘Real-Life’ Ably Measured Using Wearable Sensors in UK Study Pairing wearable sensors with a computer program enables effective monitoring of the way multiple sclerosis (MS) patients walk in āreal life,ā potentially helping clinicians to better evaluate treatments and judge disability, a small U.K. study reports. The research, āFree-living and laboratory gait characteristics in patients with multiple…
April 2, 2018 News by Patricia Silva, PhD FDA Clears Mobile App for Use with L300 Go System Created to Help with Walking and Gait The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently cleared the myBioness mobile app, designed by Bioness, to be used with the L300 Go SystemĀ to improve muscle strength in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) or other conditions that affect walking. The L300 Go System is approvedĀ to help…
February 14, 2018 Columns by Mike Knight The MS Balancing Act: Steady As We Go Gait and balance issues and MS go together like peanut butter and chocolate.Ā At least they do to me. In one way or another, theyāve been in the foreground of my life since I was diagnosed in 2013.
February 5, 2018 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD MS Society Calls Attention to Recent Research into Gait and Movement Problems Difficulties with walking and balance are common among people with multiple sclerosis and strongly affect their quality of life ā even when disease progression may not be evident on scans or other measures of MS advance, according to research presented at a meeting last fall and recently reviewed by theĀ National…
July 20, 2017 Columns by Tamara Sellman The MS Alphabet: Gait, Gag Reflex, Gadolinium and Other ‘G’ Terms (Editorās note: Tamara Sellman continues her occasional series on the MS alphabet with this first of two columns about terms starting with the letter āG.ā) When it comes to multiple sclerosis, mastering an understanding of the disease means you need to…
March 7, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Horseback Riding Helps People with Movement Disabilities, Review of 16 Studies Concludes Riding and other activities with horses can help adults and children with the balance, gait, and psychomotor disorders that are hallmarks of multiple sclerosis, according to review of 16 studies. The review, āTherapeutic Effects of Horseback Riding Interventions: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis,ā was published in theĀ …
February 15, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD FDA OKs Bioness’ Electrical-stimulation Rehabilitation Device for Gait Impairment The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized the use ofĀ Bionessā L300 Go System electrical-stimulation rehabilitation device for multiple sclerosis (MS)Ā patients and others with walking impairment. It is the first electrical stimulation deviceĀ to offer 3D motion detection of gait and muscle activation, the company says. The L300…
August 17, 2016 News by Charles Moore Kinect’s 3-D Gaming Camera Can Help Assess Gait Problems in MS Patients, Study Reports According to new research out of McGill University in Montreal,Ā Microsoft Kinect, a 3-D depth and motion sensing input device for use with the company’s Xbox 360 and Xbox One video game consoles and Windows PCs, could be a cheap, effective, and easy-to-use tool to evaluateĀ walking gait difficulties in peopleĀ with multiple…
June 8, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD #CMSC16 – Aging MS Patients Experience Greater Physical Dysfunction There is a greater number of older people with multiple sclerosis than ever before, and the number is likely to continue growing. That combination, of old age with MS, puts people at risk of significantly reduced physical function than those without the disease. This was a key finding of a…
June 8, 2016 News by InĆŖs Martins, PhD #CMSC16 – Tai Chi Shown to Improve Balance and Strength in MS Patients Researchers atĀ Texas Womanās University identified tai chi as a beneficial therapy for multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with impaired balance, as it can improve their endurance and strength and decrease fatigue. The results of the study, “The Benefit of Tai Chi for Balance and Gait in People with…
June 7, 2016 News by InĆŖs Martins, PhD #CMSC16 – MS Patients, Physical Therapists Have Distinct Decision-Making Processes for Improving Gait, Balance Understanding and combining decision-making processes of both patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and physical therapists to improve balance and gait — the movement of the lower limbs for locomotion — may help optimize patient outcomes. The findings wereĀ recentlyĀ shownĀ in an oral presentation titled “Understanding Engagement Decisions to Maximize Gait…
February 29, 2016 News by Margarida Azevedo, MSc MS Gait Analysis Identifies 2 New and Highly Sensitive Markers of Disability and Fatigue Researchers analyzingĀ gait in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) usingĀ wearable inertial sensors have established two newĀ and highlyĀ sensitive observer-independent measures of disability that strongly correlate with fatigue and patient-perceived health status. Their article, titled āDisability and Fatigue Can Be Objectively Measured in Multiple Sclerosis,ā was published in the journal PLOS…
December 22, 2015 News by Margarida Azevedo, MSc MS Patients Show Better Gait and Balance with Dalfampridine Treatment In a new study, researchers evaluated the effect of dalfampridine treatment in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and observed significant improvements in not only walking speed and distance, but also in gait and balance. The paper, titled āDalfampridine Effects Beyond Walking Speed in Multiple Sclerosis,ā was published in the…