Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Finger-Tip Balance and MS

In my weekly research on MS-related topics, I came across an interesting study regarding balance control and the use of fingertips on stationary objects to improve postural stability.  It reminded me of our group’s lunch meeting.

Researchers evaluated eleven individuals with RRMS while standing on a force platform with eyes open and closed, feet shoulder width apart and together, and with a light touch contact of the right index finger with a stable surface and without any contact.  A force platform is a tool that measures force and movement as objects, or persons, stand or move across them.

Force platforms are often used in rehabilitation settings to measure specific aspects of gait and balance.  They have been shown to be sensitive to subtle balance impairments in individuals with MS (Karst, 2005).  You might even have a simple force platform in your home as part of the wii gaming system.

Read this post in its entirety:
Instinctive Balance Control in MS

No comments:

Post a Comment