This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Lord, S E Articles by Halligan, P W Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Lord, S E Articles by Halligan, P W Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

A comparison of two physiotherapy treatment approaches to improve walking in multiple sclerosis: a pilot randomized controlled study

D T Wade

P W Halligan

Rivermead Rehabilitation Centre, Oxford, UK

Objective: To use a pilot study to compare two physiotherapy approaches to improve walking in patients with gait disturbance due to multiple sclerosis (MS).

Design: Patients were assessed and then randomly assigned to one of two groups using a block randomization technique. They were treated by the research physiotherapist for a minimum of 15 treatments over a 5–7-week period and then reassessed by an independent therapist one week after treatment.

Setting: Both assessment and treatment were undertaken at a specialist rehabilitation centre.

Subjects: Outpatients with clinically stable MS (chronic progressive or relapsing-remitting types) who were referred for physiotherapy to improve their mobility.

Intervention: Comparison was between a facilitation (impairment-based) approach and a task-oriented (disability-focused) approach.

Outcome: Mobility was assessed using four measures: the 10-metre timed walk, the Rivermead Mobility Index, stride length and the Rivermead Visual Gait Assessment. Balance was assessed using the Berg Balance Test.

Results: Twenty-three patients were entered, and 10 in each group completed the study. The groups were similar on all measured items both before and after treatment. There was no significant difference in improvement between the two approaches. Following treatment, patients in both groups showed a significant overall improvement (p <0.05) in both impairment and disability measures.

Conclusions: No significant differences in effectiveness between the two methods were demonstrated. Both a task-oriented approach and a facilitation approach to the treatment of MS outpatients were associated with improved mobility.

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				R Vazirinejad, J Lilley, and C Ward A health profile of adults with multiple sclerosis living in the community Multiple Sclerosis, September 1, 2008; 14(8): 1099 - 1105. [Abstract] [PDF]

				C. Wiles Physiotherapy and related activities in multiple sclerosis Multiple Sclerosis, August 1, 2008; 14(7): 863 - 871. [Abstract] [PDF]

				S. Beer, B. Aschbacher, D. Manoglou, E. Gamper, J. Kool, and J. Kesselring Robot-assisted gait training in multiple sclerosis: a pilot randomized trial Multiple Sclerosis, March 1, 2008; 14(2): 231 - 236. [Abstract] [PDF]

				D. V. Vaz, R. d. C. Schettino, T. R. Rolla de Castro, V. R. Teixeira, S. R. Cavalcanti Furtado, and E. de Mello Figueiredo Treadmill training for ataxic patients: a single-subject experimental design Clinical Rehabilitation, March 1, 2008; 22(3): 234 - 241. [Abstract] [PDF]

				D. Cattaneo, J. Jonsdottir, M. Zocchi, and A. Regola Effects of balance exercises on people with multiple sclerosis: a pilot study Clinical Rehabilitation, September 1, 2007; 21(9): 771 - 781. [Abstract] [PDF]

				D. D Allen Responsiveness of the Movement Ability Measure: A Self-Report Instrument Proposed for Assessing the Effectiveness of Physical Therapy Intervention Physical Therapy, July 1, 2007; 87(7): 917 - 924. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Y. Baram and A. Miller Virtual reality cues for improvement of gait in patients with multiple sclerosis Neurology, January 24, 2006; 66(2): 178 - 181. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P Thoumie, D Lamotte, S Cantalloube, M Faucher, and G Amarenco Motor determinants of gait in 100 ambulatory patients with multiple sclerosis Multiple Sclerosis, August 1, 2005; 11(4): 485 - 491. [Abstract] [PDF]

				K Rasova, J Krasensky, E Havrdova, J Obenberger, Z Seidel, O Dolezal, P Rexova, and M Zalisova Is it possible to actively and purposely make use of plasticity and adaptability in the neurorehabilitation treatment of multiple sclerosis patients? A pilot project Clinical Rehabilitation, February 1, 2005; 19(2): 170 - 181. [Abstract] [PDF]

				J Craig, C A Young, M Ennis, G Baker, and M Boggild A randomised controlled trial comparing rehabilitation against standard therapy in multiple sclerosis patients receiving intravenous steroid treatment J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatry, September 1, 2003; 74(9): 1225 - 1230. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C M Wiles, R G Newcombe, K J Fuller, A Jones, and M Price Use of videotape to assess mobility in a controlled randomized crossover trial of physiotherapy in chronic multiple sclerosis Clinical Rehabilitation, March 1, 2003; 17(3): 256 - 263. [Abstract] [PDF]

				K. Armutlu, R. Karabudak, and G. Nurlu Physiotherapy Approaches in the Treatment of Ataxic Multiple Sclerosis: A Pilot Study Neurorehabil Neural Repair, September 1, 2001; 15(3): 203 - 211. [Abstract] [PDF]

				C M Wiles, R G Newcombe, K J Fuller, S Shaw, J Furnival-Doran, T P Pickersgill, and A Morgan Controlled randomised crossover trial of the effects of physiotherapy on mobility in chronic multiple sclerosis J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatry, February 1, 2001; 70(2): 174 - 179. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]