Differences related to the distance effects of external focus of attention on static balance of the patients with multiple sclerosis

The purpose of the present study was to test differences Related to the distance effects of external focus of attention on static balance of the patients with multiple sclerosis. In This semi experimental study، 23 male patients with multiple sclerosis (M=29±7. 2) were selected purposefully. The task required participants to stand on a force platform. In the baseline condition، the participants standing on a force plate without any information. In the second intervention (near externalfocus)، intervention they focused on markers near to their feet and in the third stage of intervention (far external-focus) they focused on markers far to their body on the outside. The main phase consisted 3 of 20-s trials، with a 60-s rest interval between trials. The results of a repeated-measures revealed a significant difference between each of the three condition in the balance parameters (P<0. 05). In addition both the near external focus and far external focus condition continued to demonstrate increases in balance performance. The results indicate the better performance of the participants in the far external focus compared with near external focus.