Effects of a balance exercise programme in myotonic dystrophy type 1: A pilot study
Sammanfattning
This pilot study aimed to evaluate the effects of balance exercises in adults with classical
myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1)
directly after intervention and at follow-up after 12 weeks. Eleven outpatients (median age 49 years,
range 36 - 60 years)
with balance diffi culties participating in a 10 week intervention were assessed before, after and at
follow-up. The primary
outcome measure was balance confi dence, measured with the Activities-specifi c Balance Confi
dence (ABC) scale. Secondary
outcome measures were the Step Test, Timed Up and Go test, Timed 10 m Walk at maximum pace,
isometric muscle
force in legs and number of falls. The most important fi ndings directly after the intervention were that
nine of the 11
patients scored higher on the ABC scale ( p 0.02), and that the number of steps in the Step Test
increased in nine of 10
participants. The increased number of steps remained increased at follow-up, but the increased confi
dence was not maintained
for all patients. Timed Up and Go was unchanged but the time to walk 10 m increased. The knee
extensor force
and number of falls did not show any statistically signifi cant changes. Unexpectedly, all patients
deteriorated in the ankle
dorsifl exor force (mean - 17%) after intervention. The study showed that self-assessed balance confi
dence is likely to increase
following an individualized balance exercise programme in outpatients with DM1.