THE EFFECT OF A SIX-WEEK SENSORY-MOTOR EXERCISE PROGRAM ON THE BALANCE AND FATIGUE SEVERITY IN WOMEN WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS

Objective This study aimed to investigate the impact of 6 wks of at-home sensory-motor exercises on balance and fatigue levels in women with multiple sclerosis, a progressive autoimmune disease affecting the central nervous system. Multiple sclerosis symptoms can significantly reduce quality of life. Design In this quasi-experimental study, 26 female patients with multiple sclerosis aged 20–40 yrs with an expanded disability status scale of 0–4 were randomly assigned to control and experimental groups. The experimental group performed sensory-motor exercises for 6 wks, three sessions a week, and for 1 hr at home. Balance and fatigue were evaluated with Sharpened-Romberg tests (for static balance), a 6-step test of Get-Up and Go (for dynamic balance), and a Fatigue Severity Scale. At the end of the sixth week, these tests were re-evaluated like the pretest stage. Results Experimental group showed better static balance and Fatigue Severity Scale than control group, but no difference in dynamic balance. Conclusions Considering the outbreak of COVID-19 and the resultant lockdown, the importance of exercise and physical activities in patients with multiple sclerosis, and the positive effects of sensory-motor exercises at home in the present study, these kinds of sensory-motor workouts are highly recommended to improve balance and reduce the fatigue in patients with multiple sclerosis.