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Body Weight Supported Treadmill Training in Persons With Multiple Sclerosis

NCT ID: NCT01992679

Last Updated: 2014-12-12

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

PHASE1/PHASE2

Total Enrollment

24 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2013-10-31

Study Completion Date

2014-09-30

Brief Summary

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There is growing evidence that exercise-based rehabilitation results in improvements in mobility and participation in persons with multiple sclerosis (MS). However, the vast majority of the scientific evidence in support of this view is based on persons with MS who have minimal mobility impairment. This is partially due to the lack of accessible exercise equipment and facilities available to persons with severe mobility limitations.

One option available to persons with severe mobility limitations is body weight supported treadmill training. Indeed, this rehabilitation approach has been utilized with some success in various clinical populations, such as stroke and spinal cord injury, and is believed to target neuroplasticity. Specific to persons with MS, body weight supported treadmill training has shown great promise in improving quality of life, symptoms and functional mobility in two small (n=4 and n=6) pilot investigations. However, previous research has been hampered by methodological limitations including small sample size, lack of a control group and limited training sessions. Consequently, no firm conclusion regarding the benefit of body weighted supported treadmill training in persons with MS can be drawn. The proposed project seeks to determine if twenty-weeks of body weight supported treadmill training leads to improvements in physiological function, mobility and quality of life in persons with MS with severe mobility limitations. The outcomes of this project have the potential to lead to new rehabilitation approaches capable of improving function and quality of life in persons with advanced MS.

Detailed Description

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One option available to persons with severe mobility limitations is body weight supported treadmill training. Indeed, this rehabilitation approach has been utilized with some success in various clinical populations, such as stroke and spinal cord injury, and is believed to target neuroplasticity. Specific to persons with MS, body weight supported treadmill training has shown great promise in improving quality of life, symptoms and functional mobility in two small (n=4 and n=6) pilot investigations. However, previous research has been hampered by methodological limitations including small sample size, lack of a control group and limited training sessions. Consequently, no firm conclusion regarding the benefit of body weighted supported treadmill training in persons with MS can be drawn. The proposed project seeks to determine if twenty-weeks of body weight supported treadmill training leads to improvements in physiological function, mobility and quality of life in persons with MS with severe mobility limitations. The outcomes of this project have the potential to lead to new rehabilitation approaches capable of improving function and quality of life in persons with advanced MS.

Conditions

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Multiple Sclerosis

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

SINGLE_GROUP

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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Control

Participants in the control group will undergo the same assessments but receive no exercise stimulus and be asked to maintain current physical levels

Group Type NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Exercise group

The exercise program will consist of biweekly training sessions for 20 weeks. Per neurorecovery network guidelines, each training session will include a minimum of 20 minutes of locomotor training and 20 minutes of balance training.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Exercise group

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

The BWSTT program will consist of biweekly training sessions for 20 weeks. Per neurorecovery network guidelines, each training session will include a minimum of 20 minutes of locomotor training and 20 minutes of balance training. Training will take place on a Therastride which consists of a treadmill with an air pressure powered pulley system connected to a harness system. The locomotor training strategy focuses on proper gait mechanics, including weight bearing, shifting and maintaining body positioning. Manipulating the participant's legs is done in such a way as to provide appropriate sensory-motor cues that facilitate the development and refinement of walking pattern.

Interventions

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Exercise group

The BWSTT program will consist of biweekly training sessions for 20 weeks. Per neurorecovery network guidelines, each training session will include a minimum of 20 minutes of locomotor training and 20 minutes of balance training. Training will take place on a Therastride which consists of a treadmill with an air pressure powered pulley system connected to a harness system. The locomotor training strategy focuses on proper gait mechanics, including weight bearing, shifting and maintaining body positioning. Manipulating the participant's legs is done in such a way as to provide appropriate sensory-motor cues that facilitate the development and refinement of walking pattern.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Other Intervention Names

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Body-weight supported treadmill triaining

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* The criteria for inclusion are physician confirmed MS diagnosis, relapse free in the last 30 days, ability to voluntarily contract either quadriceps (e.g. extend their knee), willingness to complete 20 week intervention, and physician approval to engage in manual BWSTT. The diagnosis of MS based on either Poser's or McDonald's criteria and its type based on Lublin and Reingold criteria will be confirmed by the patient's neurologist using a standard form letter.

Exclusion Criteria

* The criteria for exclusion are having a relapse in the last 30 days, inability to contract the quadriceps, and unwilling to complete the 20 week intervention.
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

55 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Jacob Sosnoff

Associate Professor

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Jacob Sosnoff, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Locations

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University of Illinois UC

Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, United States

Site Status

Countries

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United States

Other Identifiers

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NMSS-IL-011

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id