Exploring the impact of systematic aquatic exercise on MS patients with fatigue and intense spasticity in the lower extremities

Postgraduate Thesis uoadl:2939971 104 Read counter

Unit:
Κατεύθυνση Κλινική Εργοσπιρομετρία, Άσκηση και Αποκατάσταση
Library of the School of Health Sciences
Deposit date:
2021-03-23
Year:
2021
Author:
Zalonis Marios
Supervisors info:
Νανάς Σεραφείμ, Ομότιμος Καθηγητής, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Βασιλειάδης Ιωάννης, Αναπληρωτής Καθηγητής, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Φιλίππου Αναστάσιος, Αναπληρωτής Καθηγητής, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Original Title:
Η επίδραση της συστηματικής εκγύμνασης με υδροθεραπεία σε άτομα με πολλαπλή σκλήρυνση που εμφανίζουν κόπωση και αυξημένη σπαστικότητα στα κάτω άκρα
Languages:
Greek
Translated title:
Exploring the impact of systematic aquatic exercise on MS patients with fatigue and intense spasticity in the lower extremities
Summary:
Introduction: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a complex disease of profound pathologic heterogeneity and unknown etiology, a chronic inflammatory demyelinating CNS disease. There is a significant body of research indicating that physical activity is beneficial for patients with neurological disorders, including MS patients. Aquatic exercise affords enhanced benefits and results, due to water properties such as buoyancy and viscosity. In recent years, various clinical studies have investigated the impact of hydrotherapy treatment regimens on the adverse symptoms of MS, such as fatigue, instability and spasticity.
Aim: Exploring the impact of systematic aquatic exercise on MS patients with fatigue and intense spasticity in the lower extremities.
Methodology: Using keywords such as Multiple Sclerosis, MS, Hydrotherapy and Aquatherapy on the PubMed scientific database has highlighted the availability of reliable scientific studies and experimental research on the impact of exercise and hydrotherapy on adverse MS symptoms. More specifically, seventeen studies met the criteria for inclusion, investigating the beneficial impact of hydrotherapy on MS patients, with reference to parameters such as balance, mobility, spasticity and fatigue.
Results: The review has highlighted the existence of a considerable bibliographic body indicating the remarkable benefits of exercise in MS, especially exercise in water. Experimental and randomized controlled trials have detected and highlighted the differentiation of hydrotherapy from any form of land-based exercise based on three principles: buoyancy, thermodynamics and viscosity. Buoyancy reduces the weight of the floating agent and contributes to the elimination of friction associated with land-based exercise. The second principle is thermodynamics, as the thermal capacity of water is one-thousand times greater than the equivalent quantity of air. In this manner, hydrotherapy affords instant surface cooling, which serves as a means of patient adjustment to the thermal stress incurred by exercise and reduces the nerve conductivity of MS patients. Third, viscosity creates a countervailing force greater than that incurred by the same movement in the air. Hydrotherapy affords benefits such as an increase in the range of motion, strength and endurance. At the same time, it contributes to a reduction in the fear of falling, joint support, injury prevention and improvement in proprioception, orthostatic control and gait.
Conclusion: Despite evidence of a reduction in fatigue and spasticity through hydrotherapy, studies on the effect of hydrotherapy on MS symptoms are limited and there is a need for further clinical research and, in particular, for the conduct of controlled randomized trials.
Main subject category:
Health Sciences
Keywords:
Multiple Sclerosis, MS, Hydrotherapy, Aquatherapy
Index:
No
Number of index pages:
0
Contains images:
Yes
Number of references:
93
Number of pages:
73
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