Ask Dr. Nick
On today’s episode, Dr. Nick talks about how walking can be improved in patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Multiple Sclerosis is an autoimmune disease that affects the long fiber tracts connecting areas in the brain and spinal cord. This leads to poor motor control, spasticity or increased muscle tone, postural instability, and difficulty walking, among many other possible symptoms. The article discussed shows how non-invasive, transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation can improve the above symptoms in MS patients. This improvement lasts for about 2 hours, but then returns to baseline 24 hours later. This shows the need for repetition to gain neuroplasticity and long-lasting effects. Check out the video for more in depth information on how spinal cord stimulation can improve walking in MS patients!
Hofstoetter, Ursula & Freundl, Brigitta & Lackner, Peter & Binder, Heinrich. (2021). Transcutaneous Spinal Cord Stimulation Enhances Walking Performance and Reduces Spasticity in Individuals with Multiple Sclerosis. Brain Sciences. 11. 472.
