Aquatic therapy significantly eased fatigue and improved balance in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients in a clinical trial in Greece, outperforming results from a control group who participated in a conventional physiotherapy program. “Our work suggests that incorporating [aquatic therapy] into MS care can meaningfully alleviate fatigue and balance deficits,…
physical therapy
People with multiple sclerosis (MS) seem to experience significant changes in cognition more than a year before significant physical decline is evident, a study found. While measures of processing speed, verbal memory, and visual memory worsened after about 2.7 years, significant changes in walking function and dexterity were only…
Having better physical performance is associated with higher cognitive function in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), particularly among those with more disability, a study finds. Disability levels, in turn, correlate negatively with cognition and physical performance, with patients with moderate disability having worse scores on assessments than those with…
Vibration therapy, which provides mechanical stimulation to activate muscles and sensory receptors, may offer a promising new approach for easing fatigue in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to new data from a clinical trial. Patients who received vibration therapy reported reduced perceived fatigue and also showed significant gains…
Task-oriented training may help balance issues for people with multiple sclerosis (MS), particularly when combined with conventional physiotherapy, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis. But the study came with a note of caution. “These findings suggest inconsistent outcomes and highlight the need for cautious interpretation and further research,”…
Some exercises are better than others at easing certain problems associated with balance in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), and the most effective type may depend on a patient’s specific issue, a small study suggested. The findings “provide valuable insights into the long-term effects of these exercises,” the researchers…
A 14-week regimen of physical therapy combined with PoNS — a neurostimulator device used to improve mobility — led to significant gait improvements in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), with evidence that its benefits are sustained over time, according to new data from the real-world PoNSTEP clinical study.
Exercise effectively reduces fatigue and improves muscular fitness in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), though the optimal exercise type and dose differ for each outcome, according to a meta-analysis of published studies involving more than 3,500 patients. Mind-body exercise, which combines physical movement, mental focus, and controlled breathing, was…
Adding noninvasive brain stimulation to physical therapy may help people with multiple sclerosis (MS) improve their balance and walking ability, a study shows. Benefits to physical therapy with and without brain stimulation were observed, but most only remained significant after six months in those who’d also received brain stimulation.
People with multiple sclerosis (MS) who better adhere to an at-home therapy regimen with the PoNS device — which provides electrical stimulation to the brain and is approved for use in combination with physical rehabilitation — may experience greater improvements in walking function. That’s according to early data…
I had surgery on my right shoulder last month. I didn’t write about it at the time because compared with a shoulder replacement, the quick arthroscopic clean-out procedure wasn’t a big deal. The orthopedic surgeon removed some loose material from the joint area and cleaned it up without having to…
Resistance training by middle-aged people with multiple sclerosis (MS) was linked with significant improvements in muscle strength in a recent meta-analysis of previous clinical trial data. The analysis indicated the benefits of such training, which is designed to boost strength and endurance, were more variable in fatigue and quality…
A Marquette University team is leading a new project that will combine balance and cardio training with the goal of improving the walking abilities of people with multiple sclerosis (MS). Led by Marquette biomedical engineering professor Brian Schmit, PhD, the project — which is supported by a $3.34 million…
Black people with multiple sclerosis (MS) scored lower on tests of walking and physical function than did white patients, regardless of social determinants of health such as education or income, a U.S. study reported. These findings add to a growing understanding of how MS manifests in Black people, and…
Helius Medical Technologies will be showcasing its now-accredited PoNS device — designed to improve walking ability in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) — at this year’s American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) Combined Sections Meeting (CMS), slated for Feb. 15-17. The annual meeting, which will feature educational sessions, exhibits,…
A course of neuromuscular electrical stimulation using Neufit‘s neuro-bio-electric stimulator — a device dubbed Neubie — alongside physical therapy (PT) led to improvements in strength and range of motion for seven people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a case series. Use of the Neubie device and PT…
More daily physical activity, better physical condition, and lower disability were all associated with less fatigue for people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), according to a clinical trial in Finland. “The findings are interesting and support previous studies very well,” Marko Luostarinen, a doctoral researcher at the University of…
Engaging in physical activity may improve the quality of life for people newly diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, a link that remained even after accounting for other factors such as fatigue and disability status, a study shows.
For people with multiple sclerosis (MS), all forms of exercise are likely to be beneficial for physical fitness, but certain forms of exercise may be better than others at improving specific measures of fitness, according to a review of multiple clinical trials. Results suggest that resistance training — pushing…
I’m worried that my tales of recovery may have gotten a tad boring, so let me liven things up with the weirdest thing I now have to live with. The head of my “thing” has been sliced half an inch vertically. By “thing,” I of course mean my penis! And…
Welcome to “MS News Notes,” a Monday morning column where I comment on multiple sclerosis (MS) news stories that caught my eye last week. Here’s a look at what’s been happening: Yoga vs. physical therapy The MS News Today article “Yoga better than physical therapy at improving…
A three-month yoga program was significantly better than physical therapy at improving quality of life in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a Russian study reports. Significant effects were observed in patients’ physical and social functioning, life activity, and mental health, researchers found. “Regular yoga classes under the guidance of…
Helius Medical Technologies will showcase its noninvasive Portable Neuromodulation Stimulator (PoNS) device and provide training to physical therapists who are interested in using the device for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS). The company will explain the benefits of PoNS…
Uses of virtual reality-based physiotherapy to improve balance and gait in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) are linked to lower dropout rates than those found with conventional rehabilitation methods, a review of clinical trials suggested. Although the difference between the two physiotherapy approaches was not statistically significant, adherence to…
A behavioral intervention that teaches people with multiple sclerosis (MS) strategies for becoming physically active significantly improved patient-reported measures of fatigue over a year, but had no effect on other self-reported disease measures, according to new data from a Phase 3 trial. Earlier results had shown that the approach,…
An upcoming observational clinical trial will assess how adherence to treatment with the portable neuromodulation stimulator (PoNS) device, used in the clinic and later at home, improves gait in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). Sponsored by Helius Medical Technologies, the device’s developer, the open-label Therapeutic…
For National Physical Therapy Month, Helius Medical Technologies is spotlighting physical therapists who make possible the success of the company’s portable neuromodulation stimulator (PONS) device to treat gait problems in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). Helius will broaden access to its free online PoNS training program by enabling…
A research team at Marquette University has received a $3.34 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to test whether high-intensity exercise on a “shaky” treadmill — one that moves unexpectedly — can help people with multiple sclerosis (MS) retain a sense of balance and walk faster. The…
XRHealth‘s virtual reality (VR) software, which provides an immersive three-dimensional environment where patients do repetitive tasks such as popping a balloon with a sword, is safe and feasible for upper limb training among people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a recent pilot study. Participants generally felt engaged…
Ten weeks of lower limb fast-velocity concentric resistance training (FVCRT) led to muscle strength gains in both the upper and lower limbs in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a recent study. This form of resistance training, which requires muscles to be maximally contracted as quickly as possible…