July 17, 2017 News by Janet Stewart, MSc Combined High-Intensity Interval, Resistance Training Improves Physical Health and Quality of Life in MS In a pilot study with patients with multiple sclerosis, high-intensity interval training combined with resistance training improved physical capacity and quality of life in a pilot study of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients ā whether or not they were disabled. French researchers at the University of Strasbourg assessed physical capacity, strength and quality of life before the training started, and then again after completing a 12-week exercise program. They divided participants into two groups: one of 18 patients with no disabilities, and a group of eight with disabilities. Participants followed a personalized exercise program involving both high-intensity interval training ā a kind of cardiovascular exercise strategy alternating short periods of intense anaerobic exercise with less intense recovery periods ā and resistance training to improve muscular strength and endurance. Scientists used a French version of the Multiple Sclerosis Quality Of Life-54 test ā a questionnaire filled out by MS patients to measure health-related quality of life ā with five additional questions. After the exercise program, women improved significantly in vitality, general well-being and physical health composite scores in the quality of life assessment, while men showed no significant improvements. Vitality and general well-being only improved in the group with no disability. Peak oxygen consumption improved by 13.5 percent, and maximum tolerated power ā a measure of maximum energy that can be expended ā by 9.4 percent. Muscle strength increased in both quadriceps and hamstrings. Women showed better improvements than men in peak oxygen consumption, maximal tolerated power, strength in both quadriceps and hamstrings, and quality of life. Both groups showed increased peak oxygen consumption and strength. āOur study has shown that high-intensity interval training combined with resistance exercise training induced an improvement in physical capacity and quality of life. Moreover, this study allowed patients, irrespective of their sex or EDSS [Expanded Disability Status Scale] score, to resume exercise autonomously,ā the team wrote. "High-intensity interval training is well tolerated too and can be used in clinical rehabilitation with resistance training, in both men and women with and without disabilities."
June 19, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD National MS Society Highlights Diet, Lifestyle Research Focusing on Living Well With Multiple Sclerosis The National Multiple Sclerosis (MS) SocietyĀ has selectedĀ research highlightsĀ from a recent MS conferenceĀ in an effort to help make living with the disease less burdensome. Presentations from the May 24-27Ā annual meeting of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) in New Orleans ā which ranged fromĀ advice on smartphone apps to diet…
May 17, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Online BrainHQ Training Program Boosts Cognition in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis, NYU Study Shows The onlineĀ BrainHQĀ adaptive training program developed by Posit Science is better than any computer game at helping multiple sclerosis (MS) patients improve their cognitive skills, according to a study by researchers at New York University (NYU). The study,Ā āCognitive function in multiple sclerosis improves with telerehabilitation: Results from…
May 8, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD United Spinal’s ‘Roll on Capitol Hill’ to Push for Better Access to Complex Rehab Technology People with multiple sclerosis (MS) and others with spinal cord injuries and disorders will speak at theĀ United Spinal Association’sĀ upcoming 6thĀ AnnualĀ Roll on Capitol Hill, which takes place June 11-14 inĀ Washington, D.C. Andrea Dalzell, Ms. WheelchairĀ New YorkĀ 2015, will be among those advocating for greater access to complex rehabilitation technology.
March 14, 2017 News by Charles Moore Clinical Test of Rex Robotic Device as Rehabilitation Aid for MS Patients Starting in UK A clinical test of whether bionic robotics can improveĀ mobilityĀ in peopleĀ with relapsing orĀ progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) and considerable disability is now recruiting participants, after being approved by the U.K. National Health Service’s Health Research Authority (HRA) ethics committee. The trial, called RAPPER 3Ā (Robot Assisted Physiotherapy Exercises with Rex…
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…
February 13, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Tongue Stimulation Could Give MS Patients Better Rehabilitation Outcomes, Study Suggests Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients given gentleĀ electrical stimulation to their tongues during physical and cognitive rehabilitation training benefited more than those who did not have the stimulation,Ā a small pilot study demonstrated. Those who received the weak stimulation had significant improvements in balance and better scores than controls in cognition and other…
January 11, 2017 Columns by Judy Lynn Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies Can Help You Find and Keep a Job At the time of my MS diagnosis I was a full-time graduate student with plans to obtain a joint Masters of Public Administration/Juris Doctor degree. After six years as a stay-at-home mom and military spouse, I was anxious to complete this next stage of my education and return to…
October 26, 2016 News by Alice MelĆ£o, MSc Degree of Posture Difficulties in MS Linked to Areas of Nervous System Most Damaged by Disease Posture control is a complex skill, requiring differentĀ areas of the nervous system to work well and to work together ā but the damage caused by multiple sclerosis complicates such nervous system multi-tasking, leading to postural problems and the well-established tendency for MS patients to fall. Several neurological systems are known…
September 8, 2016 News by Charles Moore #ECTRIMS2016 – Congress on Latest in MS Research and Treatment Opens Sept. 14 The 32nd annual congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis, widely referred to as ECTRIMS, will kick off on Wednesday,Ā Sept. 14, in London. The four-day eventĀ is partnering this year with the Annual Conference of Rehabilitation in MS Ā (RIMS), the European network for best…
August 18, 2016 News by Ćzge Ćzkaya, PhD Advances in MS Research and Treatment Focus of ECTRIMS 2016, Opening in September The 37th annual congress of The European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) will take place in London between 14 ā 17 September 2016.
July 29, 2016 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Cognitive Toll of MS Can Include Ability to Handle Personal Finances, Study Finds People with multiple sclerosis, especially those with cognitive disabilities, have more problems managing their personal finances ā paying bills on time or using a credit cardĀ ā than those without this disease, researchers report in the study, āMoney Management Activities in Persons With Multiple Sclerosis,ā published in the…
July 27, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD PCORI Awards $20M to 4 Studies Comparing Current Drug and Rehab Therapies for MS The National Multiple Sclerosis Society reported that the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) has granted nearly $20 million in funding to four research projects assessing various multiple sclerosis (MS) therapies for their clinical effectiveness. Two of the grants will cover studies comparing disease-modifying treatments, looking to identify differences…
July 19, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD MS Rehabilitation Specialist, Susan Bennett, Receives Lifetime Achievement Award from CMSC The Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC)Ā has awarded Susan E. BennettĀ one of its highest honors, the Lifetime Achievement Award. Bennett, a clinical professor of rehabilitation science at the University at BuffaloĀ and pioneer in the field of MS rehabilitation, was honored for her achievements in advancing care…
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 Patricia Silva, PhD #CMSC16 – MS Rehab Clinical Practice Guideline Help Patients Achieve Excellent Results Two case reports from the Sheltering Arms Physical Rehabilitation CentersĀ presented at the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) 2016 Annual MeetingĀ demonstrated how a multiple sclerosis (MS) clinical practice guideline for rehabilitation was implemented through the rehab path, highlighting the importance of consistency of practice and continuity of care for…
June 7, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD #CMSC16 – MS Duration and Disability Level Variously Impacts Arm Function Most research in multiple sclerosis (MS) has focused on the impact of the disease on the lower extremities. To balance this, researchers at Mount Sinai Rehabilitation Hospital in Connecticut thoroughly characterized upper arm and hand functions in MS patients, finding that disease duration and disability level differently affected various…
June 6, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD #CMSC16 – New Screening Tool for Swallowing Difficulties in MS Evaluated Identifying multiple sclerosis (MS) patients who suffer from dysphagia — swallowing difficulties — early on allows the prevention of aspiration pneumonia, a leading cause of death in MS. Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine in Texas developed a screening tool to detect dysphagia and presented encouraging preliminary data on…
June 3, 2016 News by InĆŖs Martins, PhD #CMSC16 – Home Evaluation Prototype to Improve At-home Rehabilitation After Hospitalization Researchers at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta areĀ developing a prototype that addresses physical and cognitive parameters, daily routines, and homes of patients to better implement rehabilitation within the home environment. The study wasĀ presented in “Functional Home Evaluation: Missing Pieces in Treatment and Transition Processes” during the Consortium…
June 3, 2016 News by InĆŖs Martins, PhD #CMSC16 – Susan Bennett On the Importance of Exercise for MS Patients Susan E. Bennett, a specialist in multiple sclerosis (MS) rehabilitation, reinforced the importance of exercise for MS patients to improve quality of life, during the June 1-4Ā Ā 2016 Annual Meeting of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC), in National Harbor, Md. “Everybody should be exercising. If you have MS it…
June 3, 2016 News by InĆŖs Martins, PhD #CMSC16 – Robot-assisted Rehabilitation May Improve MS Patient Locomotor Function Robot-assisted training may be anĀ effective therapy to improve motor function in the lower limbs of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), and help in rehabilitation, according to the study “Robot-Guided Rehabilitation Improves Sensorimotor Functions in Lower-Limb Impairments of Individuals with Multiple Sclerosis,” presented at theĀ Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers…
March 16, 2016 News by Charles Moore Australian MS Researcher Devising Ways to Use Smartwatches as Memory Aids Dr. Hannah Gullo, a University of Queensland (UQ) School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences researcher,Ā is several steps closer to achieving her goal of using smartwatches to combat the effects of multiple sclerosis (MS), thanks to an $8,000 Ian Ballard Travel Award for 2016 that will fund her flying from…
March 8, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Kessler Foundation MS Researcher Awarded $70,000 Fellowship to Investigate Cognitive Function Silvana L. Costa, PhD fromĀ the Kessler Foundation,Ā wasĀ recently awarded a Switzer Research Fellowship by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR). Dr. Costa is a Hearst Fellow in Neuropsychology & Neuroscience Research at Kessler, where she investigates cognitive deficits in multiple sclerosis (MS). The Merit Fellowship,…
March 7, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Science Foundation Awards to Further Work into Rehabilitative Robotics, Online Tools at Northwestern University Two scientists atĀ Northwestern University,Ā Anne Marie Piper and Brenna Argall, recently received the Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award from theĀ National Science FoundationĀ (NSF). The work of Dr. Argall, in particular, might be relevant for peopleĀ with disabilities caused by diseases such as multiple sclerosis or brain trauma resulting from accidents…
February 23, 2016 News by Charles Moore Science Fiction Becomes Reality for MS Patients in New Robotic Exoskeleton Study Wearable robotic exoskeletons may soon help people with advanced multiple sclerosis (MS) walk more efficiently and confidently again. Exoskeleton technology reduces the amount of energy and muscle exertion needed to initiate and controlĀ the process of walking, according to research presented last week at the Association for Academic Physiatrists (AAP)…
February 16, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD MS Trial to Improve Physical Activity, Lower Fatigue via Telehealth Is Enrolling Participants A new Ā multiple sclerosis (MS)Ā clinical trial being led byĀ Case Western Reserve UniversityĀ investigatorsĀ is now recruiting 215 individuals, across 10 U.S.Ā states to assess whether the fatigue management and physical activity interventions often provided by rehabilitation centers can effectivelyĀ be offered byĀ telehealth, throughĀ a series of teleconferences and phone interviews. AnĀ National MS…
December 16, 2015 News by Patricia Silva, PhD MS Physical Therapy in Need of Proper Study, Experts Say The National Multiple Sclerosis SocietyĀ announced that a panel of expertsĀ led a comprehensive review of 142 published studies addressing rehabilitation in multiple sclerosis (MS), and found evidence suggesting that weekly in-home or outpatient physical therapy offers benefits ā but, mostly, it found a lack of well-designed studies into…
December 17, 2014 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Virtual Reality System a Fun, Immersive Tool for MS Physical Therapy Scientists from Amsterdam-based Motek MedicalĀ developed an innovative virtual reality system that allows clinicians to see and analyze a patient’s balance, locomotion, and coordination – a tool that could reshape rehabilitation and clinical studies, as the system allows the patient to experience challenging and dynamically changing physical…
December 15, 2014 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Can Multiple Sclerosis Be Treated with Video Games? A team of researchers from Ohio State University received a $44,000 grant from theĀ National Multiple Sclerosis Society to fund the development and testing of an interactive video game designed to promote and supplement physical therapy among patients suffering from multiple sclerosis (MS), an…