Promise shown in new physical therapy treatment for MS symptoms

An Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation physical therapist has developed a new treatment regimen for multiple sclerosis that appears to enhance mobility without causing fatigue.

“The results need to be confirmed in a larger study, but they suggest possible improvement upon current intervention methods,” said Bobbette Miller, who treats patients at OMRF’s Multiple Sclerosis Center of Excellence and the University of Oklahoma Medical Center.

MS occurs when the body’s own immune system attacks the insulating layer that protects nerves in the brain and spinal cord. Significant gait impairments affect about 85% of the estimated 2.3 million people worldwide living with MS, Miller said. The source of these gait problems is a chronic muscle tightness called spasticity, particularly in the feet and ankles.

“Spasticity can be painful and debilitating,” she said. “Typically it forces the person to take slow, short steps and causes extreme fatigue, often preventing these people from holding a job and living independently.”

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Article from: Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation newsletter