title: Effects of different focus of attention rehabilitative training on gait performance in Multiple Sclerosis patients.
abstract: The present investigation studied the effects of different focus of attention training on gait performance. Twelve volunteers with Multiple Sclerosis and with an average disability score (Expanded Disability Status Scale=6.5) were selected from a Medical School and took part in a three-phase intervention including baseline, internal focus, and external focus, for eight weeks. In the baseline condition, the participants walked on a treadmill without any information. In the first (internal-focus) intervention they focused on foot performance and in the second (external-focus) intervention they focused on external markers and auditory information. The results of within-group analysis of variance showed that the external intervention was significantly (p<.05) better than the other conditions for stride length, step length, step speed, and gait energy expenditure, but not for force and stride timing (p>.05). In conclusion, the second (external-focus) intervention was found to be an appropriate perceptual training method and to result in improvements in some of the gait performance parameters.
authors.affiliation: Academy of Sport and Physical Activity, Faculty of Health and Wellbeing, Sheffield Hallam University, Collegiate Campus, Sheffield S10 2BP, UK. m.shafizadeh@shu.ac.uk
authors.forename: Mohsen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shafizadeh
authors.forename: Geoffrey K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Platt
authors.forename: Baharak
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mohammadi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000379:methods; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology*; D020233:Gait Disorders, Neurologic / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000534:rehabilitation; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D006113:United Kingdom; D014741:Video Recording