Posture disorders in patients with multiple sclerosis

Abstract

Impairment of stability in the vertical posture is one of the most common or, sometimes, a key symptom in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Reduction of postural control is often correlated with the severity of neurological deficit and is thought to be a leading factor that impacts on social and working activities of the patient with MS. We studied disturbances of postural control depending on the lesion of a functional system and evaluated the involvement of a corresponding system in the functions of postural control in 61 patients with confirmed MS. Patients were stratified into five groups according to lesion location: visual, motor, sensory, cerebellar or spine stem systems. The maximal impairment of static postural control corresponded to the maximal lesion of the sensory system. Compensatory mechanisms of the activation of central and neuromuscular.