Tele-Assessment and Face-to-Face Evaluation of Balance in MS
Condition: Multiple Sclerosis
MeSH terms: Multiple Sclerosis; Sclerosis
Study type: Observational

Summary: 
      MS is characterized by clinical symptoms caused by lesions of the brain, spinal cord, or
      optic nerves that can affect balance, gait, and risk of falls. 50-80% of patients with MS
      have different levels of balance-related pathological findings. In addition, the imbalance is
      one of the most complained about findings by MS patients.

      Balance and postural control disorders are the most common signs in patients with cerebellar
      tract damage. Many patients have reported problems with balance and gait causing serious
      disability. Therefore, disorders of balance and postural control in patients with MS are
      associated with difficulty in standing and performing functional activities. Effective
      quantitative methods are needed to assess postural imbalance to help clinicians assess the
      progression of this disorder.

      Current literature suggests that home tele-rehabilitation and tele-medicine practices may be
      an alternative method effective enough to be equivalent to face-to-face physiotherapy
      treatments for patients with Ms. The advantages of Tele-medicine over normal care include
      increased social support, participant engagement, quality of care, cost-effectiveness, access
      to services (due to lack of transportation), and reducing the burden on healthcare
      professionals to make services easier to deploy. In cases such as Pandemic conditions, where
      face-to-face service is disrupted in clinics, tele-rehabilitation can be applied as a
      suitable alternative treatment method accessible to patients. The effectiveness of
      Tele-rehabilitation raises the question of whether tele-evaluation is as effective and
      accurate as in the clinic. Studies examining the effectiveness of Tele-assesment are still
      insufficient. The study is planned to address this deficiency.

      The aim of this study is to compare the results of MS patients by applying valid and reliable
      methods used in balance assessment with face-to-face and online access methods, thereby
      investigating the effectiveness of balance assessment through online access.

      The hypothesis in this study is that the results of the balance assessment with online access
      in MS patients will be consistent with the results of the balance assessment conducted
      face-to-face.

      H0: Tele-assessments of balance do not give the same results as face-to-face balance
      assessments in MS patients.

      H1: Tele-assessments of balance do not give the same results as face-to-face balance
      assessments in MS patients.
    

Detailed description: 
      Voluntary patients who have been diagnosed with MS will be included in the study. Signed
      voluntary consent will be obtained from participants. Participants will be divided into two
      groups. Tele-assessment will be applied to one group first, and face-to-face assessment will
      be applied to the other group first.
    

Observational model: Case-Only
Time perspective: Prospective
Sampling method: Probability Sample
Study population: 
        Patients who have been diagnosed with MS
      
Keywords: tele-assessment; multiple sclerosis; balance; evaluation