Effect of Eight Weeks of Selective MELT Exercises on Balance, Speed of Walking, ‎Quality of Life and Expanded Disability Status Scale in Women with Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disease affecting the myelinated axons of the central nervous system causing neurological deterioration. People with this disease have low functional capacity, physical ability, balance and quality of life due to the symptoms. There are a variety of treatments for managing symptoms other than medication. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of eight weeks of selective MELT exercises on balance, speed of walking, quality of life and expanded disability status scale in women with multiple sclerosis.

In this quasi-experimental study, 20 women with MS were randomly divided into two groups of 10 patients, experimental (with mean and standard deviation of age, 42.5 ± 1.8 years, height 168.5 ± 10.6 cm and weight, 72.7 ± 10.6 kg) and control (With mean and standard deviation of age, 39.8 ± 2.06 years, height 166.6 ± 08.08 cm and weight, 71.04 ± 11.2 kg). The MELT selected training program were included various exercises to release myofascial tissue, eight weeks with a frequency of 3 sessions per week and 1 hour each session. In addition, static and dynamic balance with foot scanner, walking speed by distance traveled 8 meters, quality of life using MSQOL-54 quality of life questionnaire, and the result of expanded disability (Expanded Disability Status Scale; EDSS) was evaluated by a neurologist. Data were analyzed using repeated-measures analysis of variance test at the mean level of p <0. 05.

The results showed that in the experimental group, static balance (p=0.024), dynamic (p=0.004), walking speed (p=0.001) and quality of life (p=0.001) after eight weeks improved while the Extended Physical Impairment Scale (EDSS) did not change between the two groups.

Considering the specificity of MELT exercises and the effect of these exercises on the release of patients' myofacial tissue, it seems that the exercise program used in the present study can be used as a therapeutic intervention to improve static and dynamic balance, walking speed and quality of life in women with multiple sclerosis. However, due to the lack of research in this field, further research on the effect of these exercises in patients with multiple sclerosis is recommended.