Pegah Rahmani1, Vahid Zolaktaf 2, AmirHossein Barati3, Hossein Shahrokhi4
Aim: The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of 10-week exercises rehabilitation program in stable and unstable surfaces on balance, fatigue and quality of life in patients with multiple sclerosis. Material and method: Thirty patients were divided into two exercise groups. All patients received supervised exercise training sessions, 3 times per week for 10-week. The patients in both groups performed a combined set of strength, stretch, core stability, balance and walking exercises. However, patients in combined exercise training group in unstable surface practiced on foam surface. After a baseline outcome measurements, including Berg Balance Scale, Timed single leg stance Fatigue Severity Scale and Multiple Sclerosis Quality of Life-54, patients were submitted to a run-in period lasting 10 weeks without any rehabilitative intervention. Three other assessments of outcome measurements were performed before and after intervention and also 10-week after the end of intervention. Data were analyzed by using independent samples t-test, repeated measures analysis of variance, mixed ANOVA repeated measure and Bonferroni’s post hoc test at a significance level of P<0.05. Results: The results showed that there were significant improvements for all outcome measures in both exercise groups. Exercise group in unstable surface showed significantly larger improvement in balance than exercise group in stable surface. Discussion: According to research findings, exercise in both groups resulted in considerable improvements in balance, fatigue and quality of life in patients with multiple sclerosis.
