I informally tested myself with my feet at a 30 degree angle and heels separated by 3 cm (just as in the testing protocol) and discovered that I experienced an increased sway from front to back similar to the MS patients in this study.  Very interesting.  When I am tested for the Romberg sign with my feet parallel and touching, my body tends to fall toward one direction and my hips will sway side to side.

When I was going to physical therapy regularly in 2009, it was for three reasons: (1) work on improving my deconditioned physical state, (2) improve my abnormal gait, (3) strengthen my proprioception skills.  After some time when my condition had improved in each of these areas, my physical therapist would increase the challenges she presented.  I remember how she would engage me mentally while we worked on balance exercises.  Looks like she was helping me to improve my body’s ability to dual task, a skill similar to what was tested in this research study.

The authors of the study conclude that variability in sway velocity seems to confirm the different response to cognitive loading (the extra mental challenge presented) between MS patients and healthy participants. Also, dual tasking, in contrast to single tasking, had the ability to discriminate between the two groups under each of the postural challenges (ie. RC, FC, etc) presented.

Walking and talking, balancing and calculating, keeping your eyes off the ground...all challenges which might well be blamed (just a bit) on the MS.  Have you noticed any change in your ability to stay balanced when you are faced with cognitive challenges?

SOURCE:
Negahban H, et al. The effects of cognitive loading on balance control in patients with multiple sclerosis. Gait Posture (2011), doi: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2011.06.023

Lisa Emrich is author of the blog Brass and Ivory: Life with MS and RA and founder of the Carnival of MS Bloggers.