Relationship between core stabilizer muscle strength and endurance to respiratory parameters in multiple sclerosis patients

Abstract

Aim: to investigate the relationships of core stabilizer muscle strength and muscle endurance with respiratory function, health related quality of life (HRQOL), functional level and fatigue level in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. Method: Twenty-one MS patients were divided as group A (Expanded Disability Status Scala-EDSS Results: The mean EDSS score was 2.11±0.42 for group A and 5.58±0.47 for group B (p=0.00). Demographic and clinical parameterswere found to be similar in both groups (p>0.05). The walking distance of group A was higher, and pulmonary functions values were lower than group B (p≤0.05). The core muscles strength in group A was found higher than group B. Pulmonary function values, walking distance, fatigue scores and MSQoL score with core muscles strenght were corelated in both groups (p≤0.05). Conclusion: Our study was to demonstrate that pulmonary function is affected even at the level of early disability in MS patients, and that muscles that provide core stabilization are affected. It is seen decreasing core stabilizer muscle strength in MS patients is causing impairing pulmonary function, HRQOL, functional level and increasing fatigue level.