What are the relationships between trunk control, balance and walking in individuals with multiple sclerosis with minor to moderate disability?

Abstract

Purpose

This study aimed to identify relationships between trunk control, balance and walking in individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) with minor to moderate disability to guide the content of interventions to optimise balance and walking.

Methods and materials

Correlation analysis of baseline data from a prospective randomised controlled study comprising 79 individuals with MS was conducted using the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) 1.0–6.5 (mean 2.36), Trunk Impairment Scale-Norwegian Version (TIS-modNV), Mini Balance Evaluation Systems Test (Mini-BESTest), 2-min walk test (2MWT), 10-m walk test (10MWT), MS Walking Scale-12 (MSWS-12), Rivermead Visual Gait Assessment (RVGA) and number of steps using ActiGraphsWgt3X-BT. Log-transformations of skewed variables were conducted and Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated.

Results

Strong correlations (r = 0.70–0.90) between the 2MWT and 10MWT, the 10MWT preferred speed and number of steps, and the Mini-BESTest and 2MWT and 10MWT were identified. Moderate relationships (r = 0.50–0.70) were detected between the TIS-modNV and Mini-BESTest, as well as the 2MWT, 10MWT and RVGA.

Conclusions

The strong relationships support the need to address several aspects of balance to improve walking, while the moderate associations suggest that dynamic trunk control should be considered addressed in interventions for individuals with minor to moderate disability to optimise balance and walking.

Keywords:

• Physiotherapy
• proximal control
• balance
• core stability
• gait
• correlations

Acknowledgements

The authors thank the Northern Norway Regional Health Authority for funding the study.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by The Northern Norway Regional Health Authority.