Project details

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Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) in persons with multiple sclerosis (MS)

Keywords:
multiple sclerosis fatigue walking

Researchers:
Dr. C.A.T. Zijdewind
N (Nikki) Dreijer

Type of project:
Stage Wetenschap / Research project

Nature of the research:
Placebo controlled intervention study at the department of Biomedical Sciences of Cells and Systems of the UMCG.

Fields of study:
medical physiology neurology rehabilitation

Background / introduction
Persons with multiple sclerosis (pwMS) often have an increased sense of fatigue. Furthermore, they present with walking difficulties which negatively affect their mobility and result in an additional increase of fatigue (Rooney et al., 2019). Previous literature suggests that transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) of leg muscles might increase their walking capacity and decrease the perception of fatigue (Alenazy et al., 2021). In the present study we aim to investigate whether TENS of leg and arm muscles in combination with strength training reduces walking difficulties and the sense of fatigue in pwMS.
Research question / problem definition
What is the effect of a four-week combined TENS and exercise program, in comparison with no training, an exercise program or TENS only program on the walking capability, perceived walking disability and sense of fatigue of pwMS?
Workplan
80 subjects with relapsing remitting or progressive MS will participate in this study. They will undergo an intervention consisting of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), strength exercises (SExerc), both TENS and SExerc (COMB) simultaneously, or no training (CON). This is done for both leg and arm muscles. Walking, force, cognitive and fatigue measurements are performed before, directly after and two weeks after the training sessions.
Data has been collected for 40 subjects already. Students joining this project will perform the upcoming measurements at the different timepoints and help with the data analysis.
References
1. Rooney S, Wood L, Moffat F, Paul L. Prevalence of fatigue and its association with clinical features in progressive and non-progressive forms of Multiple Sclerosis. Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders. 2019;28(October 2018):276–82. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msard.2019.01.011
2. Alenazy M, Daneshgar Asl S, Petrigna L, Feka K, Alvarez E, Almuklass AM, et al. Treatment with electrical stimulation of sensory nerves improves motor function and disability status in persons with multiple sclerosis: A pilot study. Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology. 2021 Dec;61:102607
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