Efficacy of augmented reality versus conventional physical therapy for the improvement of balance, gait, upper-limb and dual task in people with multiple sclerosis

• Autores: Verónica G García Martí
• Directores de la Tesis: José Casaña Granell (dir. tes.), Massimiliano Pau (codir. tes.), Joaquín Calatayud (codir. tes.)
• Lectura: En la Universitat de València ( España ) en 2022
• Idioma: inglés
• Tribunal Calificador de la Tesis: Eva Segura Ortí (presid.), Yasser Alakhdar Mohmara (secret.), Davide Cattaneo (voc.)
• Programa de doctorado: Programa de Doctorado en Fisioterapia por la Universitat de València (Estudi General)
• Materias:
  • Ciencias médicas
    • Cirugía
      • Fisioterapia
• Enlaces
  • Tesis en acceso abierto en: webges.uv.es (pdf)
• Resumen

  • Multiple Sclerosis is a multifocal progressive disorder of the central nervous system, often resulting in diverse clinical manifestations. People with Multiple Sclerosis (pwMS) often suffer from different motor disturbances in balance, gait, and the upper limbs, including while they are performing some daily life activity, which also affects dual tasking. Augmented reality (AR) is becoming a popular training tool for functional recovery in physical therapy (PT).

    Therefore, the aim was to demonstrate the efficacy of AR for balance, gait, the upper limbs and dual task, as one more tool in the wide range of possibilities in PT for pwMS.

    Methods: 30 pwMS were equally randomized into the augmented reality group (ARG) or the conventional therapy group (CTG). Each group received balance, gait, upper-limb and dual task training sessions for four consecutive weeks, three sessions per week, 45-minute sessions. Clinical tests, instrumented outcome measures, and self-reported questionnaires were collected upon initiation of the intervention programs and at the end.

    Outcomes: Final analysis included 23 patients (12F,11M; mean age, (S.D.) = 49.83(10.82) years; mean EDSS (S.D.) = 4.64 (1.15)). ANOVA revealed statistically significant changes in time but not in the time per group interaction. Both groups showed a main effect of time in 36, and only ARG in 7 out of 48 variables considered for the upper limbs, balance, gait and dual task. No statistically significant differences in favor of the ARG were observed Conclusions: It is demonstrated that upper-limb, balance, gait and dual task training based on AR is an effective method as conventional therapy for pwMS.