Highlights
- •Task-oriented training (TOT) is an evidence-based rehabilitation method for multiple sclerosis (MS), however, underutilized.
- •TOT as a standalone approach can be effective for patients with MS.
- •TOT is as effective as conventional physical therapy for improving UL functions for patients with MS.
Abstract
Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) typically experience varying degrees of impairments
and disabilities. Task-oriented training (TOT) has been used for those patients to
improve their motor skills. This review aimed to evaluate the primary research on
the effectiveness of TOT in improving upper limb functions in patients with MS. The
systematic search was performed using PubMed, Cochrane library and Physical therapy
Evidence Database (PEDro) databases up to 2022. Only randomized controlled trials
that used TOT alone for UL functions of adult patients with MS were included. Two
independent reviewers screened records, extracted data and assessed studies' quality
by using PEDro scale. The meta-analysis was based on the standardized mean differences
and the random effect. The search screened 9148 records; only five randomized controlled
trials were eligible; four of them were of good quality. The trials included 147 patients
with MS; 66% of them were females, their mean average age was 47 years. TOT duration
ranged from 40 to 210 min with total period of 10 days to 8 weeks; it was applied
alone without conventional physical therapy. Meta-analyses compared TOT alone versus
control interventions revealed non-significant difference in the improvement of UL
functions on Nine-Hole Peg Test, Action Reach Arm Test, Motor Activity Log-Amount
Of Use scale, and Manual Ability Measurement. This review concluded that TOT alone
can be effective for improving UL functions in patients with MS but meta-analyses
showed non-significant differences when it was compared with conventional physical
therapy.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: March 22, 2023
Accepted:
March 18,
2023
Received in revised form:
March 10,
2023
Received:
December 25,
2022
Identification
Copyright
© 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
