Smartphone accelerometry for quantifying core stability and developing exercise training progressions in people with multiple sclerosis

Amaya Prat-Luri; Pedro Moreno-Navarro; Carmen Carpena; Andrea Manca; Franca Deriu; David Barbado; Francisco J Vera-Garcia

doi:10.1016/j.msard.2023.104618

Smartphone accelerometry for quantifying core stability and developing exercise training progressions in people with multiple sclerosis

Mult Scler Relat Disord. 2023 Apr:72:104618. doi: 10.1016/j.msard.2023.104618. Epub 2023 Mar 12.

Authors

Amaya Prat-Luri¹, Pedro Moreno-Navarro¹, Carmen Carpena¹, Andrea Manca², Franca Deriu², David Barbado³, Francisco J Vera-Garcia⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Sport Science, Sports Research Centre, Miguel Hernández University of Elche, Elche, Alicante, Spain.
² Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy.
³ Department of Sport Science, Sports Research Centre, Miguel Hernández University of Elche, Elche, Alicante, Spain; Institute for Health and Biomedical Research (ISABIAL Foundation), Miguel Hernández University of Elche, Alicante, Spain. Electronic address: dbarbado@umh.es.
⁴ Department of Sport Science, Sports Research Centre, Miguel Hernández University of Elche, Elche, Alicante, Spain; Institute for Health and Biomedical Research (ISABIAL Foundation), Miguel Hernández University of Elche, Alicante, Spain.

PMID: 36931076
DOI: 10.1016/j.msard.2023.104618

Abstract

Background: Core stability exercise programs have become popular in recent years for preserving balance and functional independence in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS); however, their real impact is not well-known as the main intervention target (i.e., core stability) theoretically responsible for balance or functional improvements is not measured. The objective of this study was to test the reliability of accelerometers integrated into smartphones for quantifying core stability and developing exercise progressions in PwMS.

Methods: Twenty participants with MS [age: 47.5±8.0 years; height: 1.62±0.07 m; mass: 63.4±10.9 kg; EDSS: 3.0 (1.5-6)] participated voluntarily in this study. CS was assessed in different variations of the front, side, and back bridges and bird-dog exercises by measuring the mean lumbopelvic acceleration in two testing sessions, separated by one week. Relative and absolute reliability of lumbopelvic acceleration of those exercise variations performed by more than 60% of the participants was analyzed by the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC_3,1), and the standard error of measurement (SEM) and the minimal detectable change (MDC), respectively. Repeated measures ANOVAs were performed to detect a potential learning effect between test-retest assessments. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.

Results: Reliability analyses revealed that good to excellent relative and absolute scores (0.85<ICC<0.96; 7.8%≤SEM≤19.2%; 21.6%≤MDC≤53.2%) for the mean lumbopelvic acceleration obtained during 10 of the 12 CS exercise variations performed by more than 60% of the participants. A non-significant between-session learning effect was detected in all the variables considered (all p values >0.05).

Conclusion: Smartphone accelerometry seems a low cost, portable and easy-to-use tool to objectively and reliably track core stability changes in PwMS through. However, in spite of the popularity of bridging and bird-dog exercises, only the short and long bridges and the three-point bird-dog positions proved feasible for most participants. Overall, this study provides useful information to evaluate and guide the prescription of core stability exercise programs in PwMS with mild-to-moderate impairment.

Keywords: Core stability exercises; Exercise progressions; Multiple sclerosis; Postural control; Smartphone accelerometry.

MeSH terms

Accelerometry
Animals
Core Stability*
Disease Progression
Dogs
Multiple Sclerosis*
Postural Balance
Reproducibility of Results
Smartphone