Department of Physical Therapy, University of Illinois at Chicago, IL 60612, United States.
Neurosci Lett. 2012 Jan 11;506(2):256-60. doi: 10.1016/j.neulet.2011.11.018. Epub 2011 Nov 20.
Individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) frequently exhibit difficulties in balance maintenance. It is known that anticipatory postural adjustments (APAs) play an important role in postural control. However, no information exists on how people living with MS utilize APAs for control of posture. A group of individuals with MS and a group of healthy control subjects performed rapid arm flexion and extension movements while standing on a force platform. Electromyographic (EMG) activity of six trunk and leg muscles and displacement of center of pressure (COP) were recorded and quantified within the time intervals typical of APAs. Individuals with MS demonstrated diminished ability to produce directional specific patterns of anticipatory EMGs as compared to control subjects. In addition, individuals with MS demonstrated smaller magnitudes of anticipatory muscle activation. This was associated with larger displacements of the COP during the balance restoration phase. These results suggest the importance of anticipatory postural control in maintenance of vertical posture in individuals with MS. The outcome of the study could be used while developing rehabilitation strategies focused on balance restoration in individuals with MS.
多发性硬化症（MS）患者常表现出平衡维持困难。已知姿势调整（APAs）在姿势控制中起着重要作用。然而，目前尚不清楚患有 MS 的人如何利用 APAs 来控制姿势。一组多发性硬化症患者和一组健康对照组在力台上站立时进行快速手臂屈伸运动。记录并量化了 6 个躯干和腿部肌肉的肌电图（EMG）活动和中心压力点（COP）的位移，这些时间间隔是 APA 的典型时间间隔。与对照组相比，MS 患者产生方向性特定 APA 肌电图模式的能力下降。此外，MS 患者的 APA 肌肉激活幅度较小。这与平衡恢复阶段 COP 的较大位移有关。这些结果表明，在 MS 患者中，姿势调整对维持垂直姿势非常重要。研究结果可用于开发针对 MS 患者平衡恢复的康复策略。
