This systematic review aimed to investigate whether there is a relationship between fatigue and PC in individuals with MS. The current literature on the impact of fatigue on PC in individuals with MS is limited. Tasks that induce fatigue have been shown to negatively affect PC in individuals with MS. (28, 29, 30, 31, 32). This observation is consistent with previous research highlighting the negative impact of fatigue on various aspects of motor function in individuals with MS. There are several possible reasons for this finding which will be argued in the next paragraphs.
By reviewing the methodological quality of included studies, a large amount of lack of loss to follow-up was noted (28, 29, 30, 31, 32), and may not have distinguished all achievable causes of missing follow-up data which entailed a risk of bias. Also, while this was an exploratory study and we evaluated factors that predicted loss to follow-up, it is still possible that bias may have been introduced due to loss to follow-up. Additionally, it is important to note that all of the included articles in our systematic review lacked blinding (28, 29, 30, 31, 32). Lack of blinding in a study can introduce biases in various ways, depending on who remains unblinded among the study's participants. Individuals assigned to the experimental group may have more positive expectations or report better outcomes to appease treatment providers, whereas those in the control group may have lower expectations and report poorer outcomes (38). Thus, implementing blinding protocols where possible in research studies examining fatigue in MS can improve the quality and reliability of study results.
Furthermore, all of the included studies identified other factors that may contribute to PC impairment in individuals with MS, such as gender differences (34) and lower leg muscle function (29). These factors should be considered when assessing PC in individuals with MS, as they may require different management strategies.
Drebinger et al. (33) explored the relationship between fatigue and motor exertion on PC, indicating that individuals with MS who exert more effort to perform a task may experience greater fatigue and impaired PC. Jallouli et al. (34) investigated gender differences and fatiguing tasks on PC and found that female participants had a higher fall risk and lower functional mobility than male participants. Also, several studies have suggested that women may experience higher levels of fatigue compared to men (39, 40, 41), but conflicting results have also been reported (42). This suggests that gender differences should be considered when assessing PC in individuals with MS, and management strategies may need to be adapted for female individuals.
Sanni et al. (29) examined the contribution of lower leg muscle function to gait and balance impairment after a six-minute walk in people with MS. The findings indicate that lower leg muscle function is a significant predictor of gait and balance impairment in individuals with MS. This highlights the importance of considering lower leg muscle function when assessing and managing postural control in individuals with MS, as strengthening exercises for the lower leg muscles may improve PC and reduce falls. In contrast, a systematic and meta-analysis conducted by Rooney et al. (43) concluded that the correlation between muscle strength and fatigue was found to be neither significant nor clear. This suggests the need for further investigation to explore the potential link between these two important factors.
Karpatkin et al. (35) investigated the effect of fatigue on performance on the Berg Balance Scale in individuals with MS. The results indicated that fatigue significantly impaired performance on the Berg Balance Scale. This suggests that fatigue should be considered in assessing and managing PC in individuals with MS, and alternative measures or adjustments to the scoring criteria may be needed for individuals with MS who experience fatigue. In this regard, Mohebbirad et al. (20) conducted a study on the effects of exercise therapy techniques for sensory integration interventions on the lifespan of MS patients. The results showed significant improvement in balance among these individuals.
In a study conducted by Emmerik et al. (36), the effects of task, vision, and symptomatic fatigue on PC were investigated in women with MS. Results revealed that symptomatic fatigue significantly impacts PC in individuals with MS. In such cases, incorporating visual feedback as a strategy could prove to be beneficial. However, while visual feedback improves movement, it may not be as immediate as proprioceptive feedback, which can lead to instability. Therefore, incorporating proprioceptive feedback or utilizing feedback based on the limb's spatiotemporal characteristics in a neurorehabilitation system can assist patients in performing more natural movements (44). This highlights the importance of considering symptomatic fatigue in assessing and managing PC in individuals with MS.