Balance Exercise and Gait in Multiple Sclerosis: What a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Trials Found

Physical therapists and physical therapist assistants who work with adults living with multiple sclerosis in outpatient, neurologic, home health, or community exercise settings, and who want a plain-language account of what pooled randomized trials of balance training reported.

Physical therapists and physical therapist assistants

Intended audience

Physical Therapy

Level

Intermediate

Delivery format

Online, asynchronous, self-paced course: interactive reading with audio or video, and a scored post-test.

Based on

This course reports the findings of a single published systematic review and meta-analysis. All findings, figures, and conclusions described in the course come from that paper.

Wallin A, Johansson S, Brincks J, Dalgas U, Franzén E, Callesen J. Effects of Balance Exercise Interventions on Balance-Related Performance in People With Multiple Sclerosis: A Systematic Review and a Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Neurorehabil Neural Repair. 2024;38(10):775-790. doi:10.1177/15459683241273402. PMID: 39162296. PMCID: PMC11490070.

The course does not add claims, recommendations, or numbers from outside this source.

After completing this course, you will be able to:

1. Describe what the review investigated, which trials and participants were included, and how balance training interventions were grouped into training types.
2. State what the pooled analysis found for balance composite scores, mobility tests, gait speed, and stepping, and what the authors concluded about training volume.
3. Explain the limits the authors identified, including the small number of trials in some training types and the unresolved definition of intensity in balance training.

1. Start Here: How to Complete This Course
2. Podcast: Balance Training in MS — What the Pooled Trials Reported (about eight minutes)
3. Balance Impairment in MS and the Question the Review Asked
4. How the Trials Were Found, Grouped, and Judged
5. What the Pooled Trials Showed Across Four Outcome Categories
6. Where the Evidence Runs Thin: Limits the Authors Named
7. What the Findings Could Mean for Balance Programs in MS
8. Key Takeaways
9. Post-Test and Course Evaluation

Quinn Millington, PT, DPT, ECS is the instructor of record: the licensed clinician who reviewed this course and signed off on it. The name and credentials print on the certificate.

Disclosures. This course was developed by The ConEd Solution, which has a financial interest in its sale. No outside funding or sponsorship was received. The instructor of record has no affiliation with the authors of the source publication or their institutions.

This course awards 0.5 contact hours (30 min). How you earn them:

1. Complete the course. Every lesson, in order.
2. Pass the post-test. Score 80% or higher. Retakes are allowed.
3. Complete the evaluation. A short form rating each learning objective and the course.
4. Download your certificate. It is issued on completion and stays available in My Account.

The episode time is its measured length. Reading, post-test and evaluation times are estimates.

This course is designed to satisfy the quality requirements state boards set for continuing education. Requirements vary by state, and confirming that a course fits your renewal is up to you. Each state’s own acceptance statement is in the credit panel on this page.

1. This course reports the findings of a single published systematic review and meta-analysis. All findings, figures, and conclusions described in the course come from that paper.
2. Wallin A, Johansson S, Brincks J, Dalgas U, Franzén E, Callesen J. Effects of Balance Exercise Interventions on Balance-Related Performance in People With Multiple Sclerosis: A Systematic Review and a Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Neurorehabil Neural Repair. 2024;38(10):775-790. doi:10.1177/15459683241273402. PMID: 39162296. PMCID: PMC11490070.
3. The course does not add claims, recommendations, or numbers from outside this source.