Abstract
Poor balance control is often an initial and common disabling symptom of multiple sclerosis (MS). Light finger touch (LFT) contact with a stable surface is known to reduce postural sway and enhance stability. Eleven individuals with relapsing-remitting MS (mean age 52 ± 13 years) and an EDSS score of 2.3 ± 0.9 participated in the study. They stood upright on a force platform with eyes open (eo) and eyes closed (ec) and with regular (R) and narrow (N) base of support (BOS). All conditions were performed with (T) and without (NT) a light touch contact of the right index finger with a stable instrumented surface. Two 30-second trials were recorded percondition. Mean excursion (MEXCUR), RANGE, center of pressure trajectory (COP-TRAJ), and mean velocity (MVELO) of COP were obtained in the anterior-posterior (AP) and mediallateral (ML) directions. Repeated-measures ANOVAs were performed. Individuals with MS showed increased COP displacements and larger sway velocity in both AP and ML directions in ec versus eo and narrow versus regular BOS conditions (P < .05). With LFT, there was a significant reduction in COP displacements and sway velocity in both directions as compared to the NT condition (P < .05). Particularly, the MEXCUR in the AP direction for the NT condition was 6.93 ± 1.72 mm and for the T condition it was 5.61 ± 1.37 mm and the MVELO was 20.46 ±4.45 mm/s and 16.96 ± 4.02 mm/s, respectively. The effect of LFT was also significant for RANGE and COP-TRAJ in both the directions. In mildly affected people with MS, LFT contact facilitated a reduction of excessive postural sway in both directions under challenging conditions of vision and stability. Light contact with a stable surface may prove to be a useful strategy in therehabilitation of people with balance impairments due to MS.