Backward walking training improved mobility, balance and signs of brain structural change in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a pilot study reports.
Multiple sclerosis affects the brain and spinal cord, causing problems with vision, movement, sensation and balance.
Participants completed eight weeks of treadmill and overground backward therapies.
The results indicated measurable gains in postural stability and gait speed (how fast someone walks) in most participants.
A cross-faculty team from Wayne State University’s Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, School of Medicine, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and Institute of Gerontology evaluated a backward programme for people with MS.
Led by Nora Fritz, professor and director of research in the Department of Health Care Sciences at Eugene Applebaum and in the School of Medicine’s Department of Neurology, the study tested whether backward training could improve mobility, balance and brain structure, and reduce fall risk.
Dr Fritz said: “The results of this pilot trial indicated that backward walking training led to measurable improvements in postural stability and gait speed in a majority of those participating in the study.
“This suggests that backward walking may trigger positive physical adaptations.”
The authors noted that larger clinical trials are needed to confirm benefits.
“This novel physical therapy intervention was designed to combat the progressive movement challenges associated with MS,” Dr Fritz said.
“We measured structural changes in the brain’s white matter in three brain regions, the body of the corpus callosum, the superior cerebellar peduncle and the corticospinal tract.
“The results of this small trial suggest that this type of therapy may promote neuroplasticity in brain areas related to balance.
“Our next step is to conduct a larger trial to determine the potential impact this type of therapy may have on all MS patients.”
