Clinical Trial: Physical therapy for balance

Funding:

None

Description

We would like to investigate the use of motor imagery and physical practice on balance in persons with MS through the use of a home exercise program - this means practicing your balance training at home and NOT in a clinic.  Motor Imagery is imagining oneself performing a task without physically moving.  Physical Practice involves physically performing a task. This study takes place over the course of 2 weeks with 2 in person sessions approximately 45 minutes long.  Each session is held on the Dominican University New York Campus in Rockland County, NY.  Upon arrival for your first visit, you will be asked to fill out some forms about you and your MS and will be asked to sign an informed consent form. You will then perform a Berg Balance Scale test (BBS) with another researcher. If you do not achieve a perfect score on the BBS, you will be assigned to either the motor imagery or physical practice exercise group and will meet with another person for instructions on how to safely perform your specific balance training program.  You will be given a 10 minute home exercise program to be performed once a day, 7 days per week for the next 2 weeks.  After your 2 weeks of home training, you will be re-tested on the Berg Balance Scale test. 

To thank you for your participation, you will be entered in a raffle for gift cards.  The raffle will take place upon the study's conclusion which is estimated to be August of 2023.  To sign up and schedule your 1st session, please email Dr. Alyssa Farr at alyssafarrdpt@gmail.com.  If you have any questions about the study, please email Dr. Stefanie DiCarrado at stefanie.dicarrado@duny.edu.