Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of an 8-week balance, resistance and combined (balance- resistance) exercise program on balance, gait, and quality of life in women with M.S.
Design: design of this study was pre test post test and single blind.
Setting and conduct: Thirty women with M.S (mean±SD: age 35.33±3.2) were randomely divided into balance, resistance and combined exercise groups. The Berg balance test, gait distance in 6 minutes and MSQOL-54 questionnaire were used respectively evulation of balance, gait and quality of life. Patients underwent a 3 separate intervention protocols for 8 weeks. The one way analysis of variance, Tukey and paired t tests were used for statistical analysis (P<0.05).
Participants including major eligibility criteria: To be eligible for inclusion in the study, participants had to have received a laboratory-supported diagnosis of relapsing-remitting, secondary progressive or primary progressive MS. In addition, they had to meet the following criteria: 1) competence to give informed consent, 2) age between 30 and 40 years, 3) ability to walk 25 feet with or without a cane or bracing, and 4) ability to verbalize a willingness to comply with the study's evaluation schedule.
The exclusion criteria were as follows: 1) inability to provide informed consent, 2) EDSS score of 7 or higher, 3) inability to walk 25 feet with the use of an assistive device, 4) pregnancy, breastfeeding, or having given birth within 3 months of initiation of the study, and 5) diagnosis of any other neurologic disorder or disability that would affect balance and mobility.
Interventions: eight weeks resistance, balance and combined (resistance- balance) training.
Main outcome measures: balance, gait and quality of life.
Blinnding: traines were learning only their own group and each group was blind about the training protocol of another group. trainers and resercher were blind about effects of these protocols on desired factors.