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Measures of Balance Performance Are Affected by a Rested Versus Fatigued Testing Condition in People With Multiple Sclerosis
Author(s) -
Jackson Kurt,
Bigelow Kimberly Edginton
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
pmandr
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.617
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1934-1563
pISSN - 1934-1482
DOI - 10.1016/j.pmrj.2013.06.001
Subject(s) - posturography , balance (ability) , medicine , physical medicine and rehabilitation , physical therapy , dynamic balance , visual analogue scale , ambulatory , multiple sclerosis , balance problems , berg balance scale , psychiatry , physics , quantum mechanics
Objective To investigate the effects of a rested and fatigued testing condition on measures of balance in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). Design Prospective observational study. Setting Academic research laboratory. Participants Fifteen ambulatory adults with relapsing remitting or secondary progressive MS with moderate disability. Methods Measures of postural control, dynamic balance, and fatigue were assessed during a “rested” and “fatigued” testing condition on separate days. Main Outcome Measurements Static posturography was used to assess postural control. The Mini‐Balance Evaluation Systems Test and Dynamic Gait Index were used to assess dynamic balance. The chronic fatigue level was measured by using the Fatigue Severity Scale, and acute fatigue was assessed by using a visual analog scale at multiple time points during testing. Results During the fatigued condition, the participants reported a significant ( P < .05) increase in acute fatigue levels (visual analog scale) and demonstrated a significant ( P < .05) decrease in performance on measures of postural control and dynamic balance when compared with the rested condition. However, no significant relationship was identified between the changes in fatigue and changes in balance performance. Conclusions Measures of balance performance and acute fatigue may be affected by rested versus fatigued testing conditions in people with MS. However, no significant relationships between changes in balance and fatigue were identified. Therefore, clinicians should use caution when making assumptions about the influence of fatigue on balance performance and should test for individual responses. Clinicians and researchers should also consider controlling for factors such as time of day and prior physical activity when administering standardized measures of balance in people with MS.