Article

Fatigue and impaired upright postural control (balance) are the
2 most common findings in people with multiple sclerosis (MS),
with treatment
approaches varying greatly in effectiveness.
The aim of this study
was to investigate the benefits of implementing a vestibular rehabilitation
program for the purpose of decreasing fatigue and improving balance in patients
with MS. The study was a 14-week, single-blinded, stratified blocked
randomized controlled trial. SETTING: Measurements were conducted in an
outpatient clinical setting, and interventions were performed in a human
performance laboratory. PATIENTS: Thirty-eight patients with MS were randomly
assigned to an experimental group, an exercise control group, or a wait-listed
control group. INTERVENTION:
The experimental group underwent vestibular
rehabilitation, the exercise control group underwent bicycle endurance and
stretching exercises, and the wait-listed control group received usual medical
care. MEASUREMENTS: Primary measures were a measure of fatigue (Modified Fatigue
Impact Scale), a measure of balance (posturography), and a measure of walking
(Six-Minute Walk Test). Secondary measures were a measure of disability due to
dizziness or disequilibrium (Dizziness Handicap Inventory) and a measure of
depression (Beck Depression Inventory-II). RESULTS: Following intervention, the
experimental group had greater improvements in fatigue, balance, and disability
due to dizziness or disequilibrium compared with the exercise control group and
the wait-listed control group. These results changed minimally at the 4-week
follow-up. Limitations The study was limited by the small sample size. Further
investigations are needed to determine the underlying mechanisms associated with
the changes in the outcome measures due to the vestibular rehabilitation program.
CONCLUSION: A 6-week vestibular rehabilitation program demonstrated both
statistically significant and clinically relevant change in fatigue, impaired
balance, and disability due to dizziness or disequilibrium in patients with MS.

Langue : ANGLAIS