EFFECTS OF BALANCE STRATEGY TRAINING IN MYASTHENIA GRAVIS: A CASE STUDY SERIES

Introduction: Studies of exercise in patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) are sparse. Balance strategy training (BST) multimodal exercise has proven efficacy in adults for enhancing balance and functional mobility. This prospective study aims to determine if BST improves functional ability and balance in people with MG. Methods: Seven individuals with MG participated in a 16-session workstation intervention. Repeated measures (pre/post-intervention and 4-week follow-up) consisting of quantitative myasthenia gravis score (QMG), 6-minute walk test (6MWT), timed up and go (TUG) with dual task (TUG(manual) and TUG(cognitive)), and standing stability on foam with eyes closed (foamEC) were assessed. Results: Most measurements showed sustained improvement at follow-up. QMG, TUG(cognitive), and foam EC achieved clinically significant improvements (>15%). No adverse effects were reported. Conclusions: BST was effective in improving balance and QMG scores in subjects with MG. A multimodal BST approach is thus suggested to target different aspects of balance and functional mobility. Muscle Nerve49: 654-660, 2014