The Association between Urinary Disorder, Hypertonia and Assistive Device Usage with Falling in Individual with Multiple Sclerosis

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this study was the association between urinary disorder (UD), spastic hypertonia and assistive device with falling. Methods: In this analytical cross sectional study, 140 participants with Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score below 7 aged 20 to 55 years were divided into two groups according to their reports of falls in the past 6 months. Participants selected from Tehran outpatient clinics by convenient sampling. The presence or absence of UD, fall history and using assistive device was recorded by self-report. In addition, spastic hypertonia was assessed by Ashworth scale in knee extensors and ankle plantar flexors muscles for lower extremities. Finally, we used Mann whitney, chi-square test and Spearman correlation coefficient for analyzing. Results: We found more UD, spastic hypertonia and using assistive device in MS with history of falling compared with MS without history of falls (P < 0.05). Additionally, the direct and significant relationship existed between UD, spastic hypertonia and using assistive device with falls. Conclusion: MS people with history of falls that have UD, spastic hypertonia and using assistive device are in risk of falling than MS patients without history of falling.

Keywords

• urinary disorder
• hypertonia
• assistive device
• falling
• multiple sclerosis