Article

OBJECTIVE: To determine the feasibility of three fall prevention programs
delivered over 12 weeks among individuals with multiple sclerosis: (A) a
home-based exercise program targeting physiological risk factors; (B) an
educational program targeting behavioral risk factors; and (C)
a combined
exercise-and-education program targeting both factors.
DESIGN: Randomized
controlled trial. SETTING: Home-based training with assessments at research
laboratory. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 103 individuals inquired about the
investigation. After screening, 37 individuals with multiple sclerosis who had
fallen in the last year and ranged in age from 45-75 years volunteered for the
investigation. A total of 34 participants completed postassessment following the
12-week intervention. INTERVENTION: Participants were randomly assigned into one
of four conditions: (1) wait-list control (n = 9); (2) home-based exercise (n =
11); (3) education (n = 9); or (4) a combined exercise and education (n = 8)
group. MEASURES: Before and after the 12-week interventions, participants
underwent a fall risk assessment as determined by the physiological profile
assessment and provided information on their fall prevention behaviors as indexed
by the Falls Prevention Strategy Survey. Participants completed falls diaries
during the three-months postintervention. RESULTS:
A total of 34 participants
completed postintervention testing. Procedures and processes were found to be
feasible. Overall, fall risk scores were lower in the exercise groups (1.15 SD
1.31) compared with the non-exercise groups (2.04 SD 1.04) following the
intervention (p < 0.01). There was no group difference in fall prevention
behaviors (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Further examination of home-based
exercise/education programs for reducing falls in individuals with multiple
sclerosis is warranted. A total of 108 participants would be needed in a larger
randomized controlled trial.ClinicalTrials.org #NCT01956227.
CI - (c) The Author(s) 2014.
- Chutes

Langue : ANGLAIS