This article has been withdrawn at the request of the author(s) and/or editor. The Publisher apol... more This article has been withdrawn at the request of the author(s) and/or editor. The Publisher apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause. The full Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal can be found at https://www.elsevier.com/about/our-business/policies/article-withdrawal.
This article has been withdrawn at the request of the author(s) and/or editor. The Publisher apol... more This article has been withdrawn at the request of the author(s) and/or editor. The Publisher apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause. The full Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal can be found at https://www.elsevier.com/about/our-business/policies/article-withdrawal.
In accordance with the Task Oriented Approach, clinicians need assessment procedures providing in... more In accordance with the Task Oriented Approach, clinicians need assessment procedures providing information on the execution of multiple tasks. Instrumented task assessment can add information regarding sensory-motor strategies, difficult to assess purely by clinical observation. It has been shown that People with Multiple Sclerosis (PwMS) have difficulties in maintaining upright balance, but little is known about their ability to achieve a stable posture after the execution of tasks related to activities of daily living. The aim of the present study was to assess postural stabilization in a population of PwMS. Twenty Healthy Subjects (HS) and twenty PwMS were assessed in three tasks leading to a quiet erect posture: sit-to-stand, taking a step forward, bending forward. Antero-posterior ground reaction force was measured by a force platform and interpolated by a model providing information on the initial instability after task execution (Transitional_Sway), the time required to dissipate this initial instability (Stabilization_Time), and their stability in quiet upright posture (Static_Sway). PwMS had statistically significant altered performance in comparison to HS: their instability after task execution (Transitional_Sway) was higher in bending and sit-to-stand (p < 0.05), their stabilization time (Stabilization_Time) was longer in bending and step forward (p < 0.05). Static_Sway was higher in all tasks (p < 0.05) indicating imbalance also in quiet upright posture.
BACKGROUND: Functional recovery of the plegic upper limb in post-stroke patients may be enhanced ... more BACKGROUND: Functional recovery of the plegic upper limb in post-stroke patients may be enhanced by sequentially applying a myoelectrically controlled FES (MeCFES), which allows the patient to voluntarily control the muscle contraction during a functional movement, and robotic therapy which allows many repetitions of movements. OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the efficacy of MeCFES followed by robotic therapy compared to standard care arm rehabilitation for post-stroke patients. METHODS: Eighteen stroke subjects (onset ⩾ 3 months, age 60.1 ± 15.5) were recruited and randomized to receive an experimental combination of MeCFES during task-oriented reaching followed by robot therapy (MRG) or same intensity conventional rehabilitation care (CG) aimed at the recovery of the upper limb (20 sessions/45 minutes). Change was evaluated through Fugl-Meyer upper extremity (FMA-UE), Reaching Performance Scale and Box and Block Test. RESULTS: The experimental treatment resulted in higher improvement on the FMA-UE compared with CG (P= 0.04), with a 10-point increase following intervention. Effect sizes were moderate in favor of the MRG group on FMA-UE, FMA-UE proximal and RPS (0.37–0.56). CONCLUSIONS: Preliminary findings indicate that a combination of MeCFES and robotic treatment may be more effective than standard care for recovery of the plegic arm in persons > 3 months after stroke. The mix of motor learning techniques may be important for successful rehabilitation of arm function.
Objective: To determine whether there are demographic, clinical, and instrumental variables usefu... more Objective: To determine whether there are demographic, clinical, and instrumental variables useful to detect fall status of patients with multiple sclerosis. Data sources: PubMed and the Cochrane Library. Review methods: Eligible studies were identified by two independent investigators. Only studies having a clear distinction between fallers and non-fallers were included and meta-analysed. Odds ratios (ORs) and standard mean differences (SMDs) were calculated and pooled using fixed effect models. Results: Among 115 screened articles, 15 fulfilled criteria for meta-analyses, with a total of 2425 patients included. Proportion of fallers may vary from 30% to 63% in a time frame from 1 to 12 months. No significant publication bias was found, even though 12/15 studies relied on retrospective reports of falls, thus introducing recall biases. Risk factors for falls varied across studies, owing to heterogeneity of populations included and clinical instruments used. The meta-analytic approach found that, compared with non-fallers, fallers had longer disease duration (SMD = 0.14, p = 0.02), progressive course of disease (OR = 2.02, p < 0.0001), assistive device for walking (OR = 3.16, p < 0.0001), greater overall disability level (SMD = 0.74, p < 0.0001), slower walking speed (SMD = 0.45, p = 0.0005), and worse performances in balance tests (Berg Balance Scale: SMD = −0.48, p = 0.002; Timed up-and-go test, SMD = 0.31, p = 0.04), and force-platform measures (postural sway) with eyes opened (SMD = 0.71, p = 0.006) and closed (SMD = 0.83, p = 0.01), respectively. Conclusion: Elucidations regarding risk factors for accidental falls in patients with multiple sclerosis (PwMs) are provided here, with worse disability score, progressive course, use of walking aid, and poorer performances in static and dynamic balance tests strongly associated with fall status.
This article has been withdrawn at the request of the author(s) and/or editor. The Publisher apol... more This article has been withdrawn at the request of the author(s) and/or editor. The Publisher apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause. The full Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal can be found at https://www.elsevier.com/about/our-business/policies/article-withdrawal.
This article has been withdrawn at the request of the author(s) and/or editor. The Publisher apol... more This article has been withdrawn at the request of the author(s) and/or editor. The Publisher apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause. The full Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal can be found at https://www.elsevier.com/about/our-business/policies/article-withdrawal.
In accordance with the Task Oriented Approach, clinicians need assessment procedures providing in... more In accordance with the Task Oriented Approach, clinicians need assessment procedures providing information on the execution of multiple tasks. Instrumented task assessment can add information regarding sensory-motor strategies, difficult to assess purely by clinical observation. It has been shown that People with Multiple Sclerosis (PwMS) have difficulties in maintaining upright balance, but little is known about their ability to achieve a stable posture after the execution of tasks related to activities of daily living. The aim of the present study was to assess postural stabilization in a population of PwMS. Twenty Healthy Subjects (HS) and twenty PwMS were assessed in three tasks leading to a quiet erect posture: sit-to-stand, taking a step forward, bending forward. Antero-posterior ground reaction force was measured by a force platform and interpolated by a model providing information on the initial instability after task execution (Transitional_Sway), the time required to dissipate this initial instability (Stabilization_Time), and their stability in quiet upright posture (Static_Sway). PwMS had statistically significant altered performance in comparison to HS: their instability after task execution (Transitional_Sway) was higher in bending and sit-to-stand (p < 0.05), their stabilization time (Stabilization_Time) was longer in bending and step forward (p < 0.05). Static_Sway was higher in all tasks (p < 0.05) indicating imbalance also in quiet upright posture.
BACKGROUND: Functional recovery of the plegic upper limb in post-stroke patients may be enhanced ... more BACKGROUND: Functional recovery of the plegic upper limb in post-stroke patients may be enhanced by sequentially applying a myoelectrically controlled FES (MeCFES), which allows the patient to voluntarily control the muscle contraction during a functional movement, and robotic therapy which allows many repetitions of movements. OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the efficacy of MeCFES followed by robotic therapy compared to standard care arm rehabilitation for post-stroke patients. METHODS: Eighteen stroke subjects (onset ⩾ 3 months, age 60.1 ± 15.5) were recruited and randomized to receive an experimental combination of MeCFES during task-oriented reaching followed by robot therapy (MRG) or same intensity conventional rehabilitation care (CG) aimed at the recovery of the upper limb (20 sessions/45 minutes). Change was evaluated through Fugl-Meyer upper extremity (FMA-UE), Reaching Performance Scale and Box and Block Test. RESULTS: The experimental treatment resulted in higher improvement on the FMA-UE compared with CG (P= 0.04), with a 10-point increase following intervention. Effect sizes were moderate in favor of the MRG group on FMA-UE, FMA-UE proximal and RPS (0.37–0.56). CONCLUSIONS: Preliminary findings indicate that a combination of MeCFES and robotic treatment may be more effective than standard care for recovery of the plegic arm in persons > 3 months after stroke. The mix of motor learning techniques may be important for successful rehabilitation of arm function.
Objective: To determine whether there are demographic, clinical, and instrumental variables usefu... more Objective: To determine whether there are demographic, clinical, and instrumental variables useful to detect fall status of patients with multiple sclerosis. Data sources: PubMed and the Cochrane Library. Review methods: Eligible studies were identified by two independent investigators. Only studies having a clear distinction between fallers and non-fallers were included and meta-analysed. Odds ratios (ORs) and standard mean differences (SMDs) were calculated and pooled using fixed effect models. Results: Among 115 screened articles, 15 fulfilled criteria for meta-analyses, with a total of 2425 patients included. Proportion of fallers may vary from 30% to 63% in a time frame from 1 to 12 months. No significant publication bias was found, even though 12/15 studies relied on retrospective reports of falls, thus introducing recall biases. Risk factors for falls varied across studies, owing to heterogeneity of populations included and clinical instruments used. The meta-analytic approach found that, compared with non-fallers, fallers had longer disease duration (SMD = 0.14, p = 0.02), progressive course of disease (OR = 2.02, p < 0.0001), assistive device for walking (OR = 3.16, p < 0.0001), greater overall disability level (SMD = 0.74, p < 0.0001), slower walking speed (SMD = 0.45, p = 0.0005), and worse performances in balance tests (Berg Balance Scale: SMD = −0.48, p = 0.002; Timed up-and-go test, SMD = 0.31, p = 0.04), and force-platform measures (postural sway) with eyes opened (SMD = 0.71, p = 0.006) and closed (SMD = 0.83, p = 0.01), respectively. Conclusion: Elucidations regarding risk factors for accidental falls in patients with multiple sclerosis (PwMs) are provided here, with worse disability score, progressive course, use of walking aid, and poorer performances in static and dynamic balance tests strongly associated with fall status.
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