Rehabilitation regimens that can help people with MS achieve maximal physical, psychological, social and vocational potential have gained increasing acceptance in recent years. But to convince doctors and insurers that rehabilitation really does help, there needs to be scientific evidence that can only come from carefully designed and conducted studies. Read a magazine article about rehabilitation research (.pdf).
The National MS Society has current, multi-year commitments of about $4.5 million to support 20 research projects focusing on rehabilitation in MS. Here are a few examples:
- Robert Motl, PhD (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) is conducting a study aimed at understanding factors that may lead to reduced physical activity in persons with MS. His team is examining whether the frequency and severity of MS-related symptoms influence physical activity, tracking changes in activity over three years in 250 individuals with relapsing-remitting MS. This study could substantially improve our knowledge of the factors leading to reduced physical activity in people with MS, and help design programs to increase it.
- Barbara S. Giesser, MD (University of California at Los Angeles) is testing robotic locomotor training to improve walking ability in people with MS. Her team is testing a robotic device that moves the legs while the person is suspended over a treadmill, in hopes that this technique will improve ambulation. A total of 40 persons with progressive forms of MS are undergoing 36 training sessions over 12 weeks. Half are receiving robotic locomotor training and half standard resistive exercise training. This important study may result in a new way to improve walking ability in people with MS, which would be an important step toward improving everyday function and quality of life.
- Richard Van Emmerik, PhD (University of Massachusetts, Amherst) is identifying factors involved in balance problems in posture and walking experienced by people with MS to find better ways to intervene. His team is investigating gait and balance in several groups: 20 people with MS without walking problems, 20 people with MS and walking problems (but who do not use mobility aids) and 20 people without MS. They are assessing posture, gait initiation and walking using state-of-the-art electronic motion tracking systems. Given the essential role that balance and gait play in daily life, a more thorough understanding of these mechanisms is essential for developing effective rehabilitation intervention programs for people with MS.
Download a list of Society-funded research projects (.pdf) listed by topic, including rehabilitation research.