Plantar pressure assessment: A new tool for postural instability diagnosis in multiple sclerosis

Abstract

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory, demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS), and is the most common progressive neurological disease in young adults. Debilitating motor and sensory function are the major features of the disease. Balance disorders are associated with ambulation difficulties such sustaining an upright posture and performing functional activities such as turning. Those skills predispose people with MS to loss the balance control and fall. An adequate evaluation of postural degree of stability is essential for monitoring the various stages of disease. Sometimes clinical balance tests may not detect subtle deficits in adults with MS who are not yet experiencing functional limitations or disability. It’s important to develop new instruments that could identify subtle impairments before they lead to functional decline. The purpose of this study was to determine if centre of pressure (COP) displacement assessed by plantar pressure could be a useful performance-based evaluative measure for adults with MS comparing with a clinical examination using the Berg Balance Scale (BBS). Subjects with MS (nD29) were compared with healthy adults (nD28). The subjects with MS were subjected to three tests: (1) Plantar pressure in upright standing position (ΔtD10s); (2) Right and Left gait stance phase (1-step protocol); and, (3) BBS test. Control subjects performed (1) and (2) tests. COP measures show clear differences when comparing healthy adults with adults with MS and this group had kinematics alterations of COP characteristics. The plantar pressure plate is a useful tool to detect the no visual data. Comparing the results of the present work there is evidence that the exclusive use of the BBS is test is ineffective in small postural disorders.