Whole body vibration vs exercise to reduce fall risks in people with MS

Dr Kennedy and his team are continuing to recruit patients and conduct the program for participants in this trial, To date, 16 people have completed the exercise program and post-exercise testing. Another 10 will complete the trial by mid 2017, with a third group beginning in April 2017. The final 2 groups are planned to start throughout 2017. This trial has been performed in multiple groups due to a limited number of whole body vibration platforms. As this is a blinded trial, where the researchers are unaware of the exercise method the participants have been performing, Dr Kennedy and his team have not yet analysed the results. The researchers will be comparing results from two measures of balance and mobility, the Choice Reaction Stepping Time (CRST) and the Physiological Profile Assessment (PPA). The preliminary results, validating these two outcome measures within the context of this trial have been presented at a national conference. This incubator grant has also enabled Dr Kennedy to support the training of a student leading to the production of their Honours thesis. This study has the potential to produce an accessible therapy to reduce the number of falls in people with MS. Updated: 11 July 2017