Exercise Balance Program for Fall Prevention in Multiple Sclerosis

Falls and balance impairments are common in individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) and may negatively affect mobility, independence, confidence in daily activities, and quality of life, while increasing the risk of injury. This randomized controlled trial investigated the effects of a 6-week combined Otago-based and game-inspired balance-training program on static balance, functional mobility, fear of falling, and perceived walking ability in individuals with MS. Thirty participants with MS were randomly allocated to either an intervention group or an active control group. Both groups received fall-prevention counselling and performed home-based Otago-related exercises three times per week. The intervention group additionally received one supervised balance-training session per week using colored-circle and Twister-inspired task-oriented exercises. Outcomes were assessed at baseline and immediately after the intervention period using the FICSIT-4 for static balance, the Timed Up and Go test for functional mobility, the Falls Efficacy Scale-International (FES-I) for fear of falling, and the 12-item Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale (MSWS-12) for perceived walking limitations.