Dynamic Balance and Neuropathic Changes Following Ankle Proprioceptive Training in Type II Diabetic Patients with Peripheral Neuropathy

Peripheral neuropathy is one of the major complications of type II diabetesmellitus. Lower limb proprioceptive impairments due to neuropathy can lead to balance disorders in these patients.

The present study aimed to investigate postural stability and neuropathic changes following ankle proprioceptive training in type II diabetic patients with moderate neuropathy.

The present study was conducted on24 type II diabetic patients with moderate neuropathy (9 females and 15 males) aged 40-65 years (with a mean age of 57.25 years). The treatment consisted of ankle proprioceptive training by the balance board and rocker for10 consecutive days. Balance indices, including Overall Stability Index (OSI), Anterior-Posterior Stability Index (APSI), and Medial-Lateral Stability Index (MLSI), were measured withBiodex system before and after the treatment, as well as two weeks after treatment in two conditions: condition1: Eyes open, head straight, without using trunk, pelvis, thigh, and knee constrained orthosis. Condition 2: Eyes closed, head back (hyperextension), with using trunk, pelvis, thigh, and knee constrained orthosis. Plate-basedBiodexstability was fixed at levels 6 and 8 for condition1 and level 8 for condition 2. The severity of neuropathy was assessed using Valk and Michiganquestionnaires, as well as light touch sensation. The analysis of variance with repeated measure was used to evaluate alterations in the stability of patients. Furthermore, the correlation of neuropathic changes and stability parameters were assessed by the Pearson correlation coefficients.

Significant improvements were observed in OSI inall tests of condition 1 (Biodex Balance System (BBS) at level 8 (P=0.001) and level 6 (P=0.017), as well as test conditions 2 (level 8; P=0.004). After the treatment, at stability level 8, a significant improvement in the mean values of postural sways inthe Anterior-Posterior (AP) direction demonstrated that the ankle strategy was improved in the patients. After the treatment, the scores of the Valk (P=0.02) and Michigan (P=0.001) questionnaires were significantly decreased. After two weeks of follow-up,the observed improvement was maintained in the mean values of balance indices (OSI, APSI) and neuropathy due to treatment.

As evidenced by the obtained results, 10 sessions of targeted ankle proprioceptive training improved stability, neuropathy, and light touch sensation of the foot in type II diabetic patients with moderate neuropathy. Foot somatosensory information is one of the most important causes of balance alterations in these patients.