Effect of Neuromuscular Exercises on Strength, Proprioceptive Receptors, and Balance in Females with Multiple Sclerosis

Maryam K Sokhangu; Nader Rahnama; Masoud Etemadifar; Mehdi Rafeii; Ali Saberi

doi:10.4103/ijpvm.IJPVM_525_18

Effect of Neuromuscular Exercises on Strength, Proprioceptive Receptors, and Balance in Females with Multiple Sclerosis

Int J Prev Med. 2021 Jan 19:12:5. doi: 10.4103/ijpvm.IJPVM_525_18. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Maryam K Sokhangu¹, Nader Rahnama¹, Masoud Etemadifar², Mehdi Rafeii³, Ali Saberi⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Sport Injury and Corrective Exercises, Faculty of Sport Science, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran.
² Department of Neurology, Medical School, Isfahan Research Committee of Multiple Sclerosis, Isfahan, Iran.
³ Faculty of Sport Science, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran.
⁴ Department of Sport Management, Faculty of Management, Farabi Campus, University of Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the third most common cause of adult neurologic disabilities. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of 8 weeks of neuromuscular exercises on strength, proprioceptive receptors, and balance of women with MS.

Methods: In this randomized controlled trial study, 20 female volunteers with relapsing-remitting MS were randomly assigned into the experimental group (n = 10) and control group (n = 10). Maximum muscular strength of knee extensor and flexor muscles, knee joint proprioceptive error (Biodex), and balance (Berg Balance Scale) was measured at baseline and after 8 weeks of neuromuscular exercise. The data were analyzed using paired t-test and independent t-test.

Results: The results showed a significant improvement (P < 0.05) in the quadriceps strength, hamstring strength, proprioceptive receptor error, and the balance in the experimental group, but not in the control group. A significant difference was evident between the experimental and control groups in terms of strength, balance, and proprioceptive receptor error (P < 0.05).

Conclusions: Neuromuscular exercise training is effective in improving balance, strength, and reducing the proprioceptive error in people with MS, and it could be recommended as modalities for these patients.

Keywords: Balance; maximum strength; multiple sclerosis; neuromuscular exercises; proprioceptive error.