Evidence map›Paper›PMID 31749254›Full record

ArticlePhysiotherapy research international : the journal for researchers and clinicians in physical therapy2020

Changes in standing stability with balance-based torso-weighting with cerebellar ataxia: A pilot study.

Gail L Widener, Nicole Conley, Sarah Whiteford, Jason Gee, Anthony Harrell, Cynthia Gibson-Horn, Valerie Block, Diane D Allen

Open access · hybridAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Physiotherapy research international : the journal for researchers and clinicians in physical therapy, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed
0.9field-weighted citation impact, top 30% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

8 citing papers in PubMed, 21 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Review
  2. Article
  3. Movement Disorders in Multiple Sclerosis: An Update.Tremor and other hyperkinetic movements (New York, N.Y.) · 2022
    Review
  4. Article
  5. Update on the Treatment of Ataxia: Medication and Emerging Therapies.Neurotherapeutics : the journal of the American Society for Experimental NeuroTherapeutics · 2020
    Review
  6. Review
  7. Changes in standing stability with balance-based torso-weighting with cerebellar ataxia: A pilot study.Physiotherapy research international : the journal for researchers and clinicians in physical therapy · 2020
    Article
  8. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Gail L WidenerDepartment of Physical Therapy, Samuel Merritt University, Oakland, CA, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1844-8183
Nicole ConleyGraduate Program in Physical Therapy, University of California San Francisco/San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Sarah WhitefordGraduate Program in Physical Therapy, University of California San Francisco/San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Jason GeeGraduate Program in Physical Therapy, University of California San Francisco/San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Anthony HarrellGraduate Program in Physical Therapy, University of California San Francisco/San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Cynthia Gibson-HornDepartment of Physical Therapy, Samuel Merritt University, Oakland, CA, USA.
Valerie BlockDepartment of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Diane D AllenGraduate Program in Physical Therapy, University of California San Francisco/San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, USA.
University of California, San Francisco · USSamuel Merritt University · US

Funding

San Francisco State University ST649
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesPeople with cerebellar ataxia have few options to improve the standing stability they need for function. Strategic placement of light weights on the torso using the balance-based torso-weighting (BBTW) method has improved stability and reduced falls in people with multiple sclerosis, but has not been tested in cerebellar ataxia. We examined whether torso-weighting increased standing stability and/or functional movement in people with cerebellar ataxia.

methodsTen people with cerebellar ataxia and 10 matched controls participated in this single-session quasi-experimental pilot study. People with ataxia performed the Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia (SARA) prior to clinical testing. All participants donned inertial sensors that recorded postural sway; stopwatches recorded duration for standing and mobility tasks. All participants stood for up to 30 s on firm and foam surfaces with eyes open then eyes closed, and performed the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test. Light weights (0.57-1.25 kg) were strategically applied to a vest-like garment. Paired t tests compared within-group differences with and without BBTW weights. Independent t tests assessed differences from controls. All t tests were one-tailed with alpha set at .05.

resultsDuration of standing for people with ataxia was significantly longer with weighting (p = .004); all controls stood for the maximum time of 120 s with and without weights. More severe ataxia according to SARA was moderately correlated with greater improvement in standing duration with BBTW (Pearson r = .54). Tasks with more sensory challenges (eyes closed, standing on firm surface) showed less body sway with weighting. Duration for the TUG was unchanged by torso-weighting in people with ataxia.

conclusionStrategic weighting improved standing stability but not movement speed in people with ataxia. BBTW has potential for improving stability and response to challenging sensory conditions in this population. Future studies should further examine gait stability measures along with movement speed.

Indexed as

AdultCase-Control StudiesCerebellar AtaxiaFemaleGaitHumansMaleMiddle AgedMultiple SclerosisPilot ProjectsPostural BalanceSensation DisordersTorsocerebellar disordersmotor ataxiapostural balancerehabilitation

Identifiers

PMID31749254
PMCPMC7050535
OpenAlexW2991527413

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.