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Table 1 Specific treatment and progression for experimental group receiving gaze and postural stability (GPS) intervention

From: Rehabilitation to improve gaze and postural stability in people with multiple sclerosis: study protocol for a prospective randomized clinical trial

Week

Gaze and Postural Stability (GPS) Group Intervention

1

Gaze stability: aVOR × 1 far target, Performed at 2 Hz (metronome paced) ×  2 min × 5 reps.

Postural stability: standing with static BOS, static COM, static head positions out of neutral (looking, up, down, right, left)

2

Gaze stability: aVOR × 1 near and far targets, 2 targets. Performed at 2 Hz (metronome paced) ×  2 min × 5 reps.

Postural stability: standing with static BOS, dynamic COM, head rotations (looking, up, down, right, left)

3

Gaze stability: aVOR × 1 near and far targets, aVOR × 2, 2 targets, Performed at 2 Hz (metronome paced) ×  2 min × 5 reps.

Postural stability: standing / walking compliant surface, static head positions out of neutral (looking, up, down, right, left)

4

Gaze stability: aVOR × 1 near and far targets, aVOR × 2, 2 targets. Performed at 2 Hz (metronome paced) ×  2 min × 5 reps.

Postural stability: standing / walking compliant surface, head rotations (looking, up, down, right, left)

5

Gaze stability: aVOR × 1 while walking, aVOR × 2 while standing. Performed at 2 Hz (metronome paced) ×  2 min × 5 reps.

Postural stability: standing / walking, eyes open / closed, head rotations (looking, up, down, right, left)

6

Gaze stability: aVOR × 1 while walking, aVOR × 2 while standing, 2 targets, imaginary target. Performed at 2 Hz (metronome

paced) ×  2 min × 5 reps.

Postural stability: standing / walking, eyes open / closed, head rotations (looking, up, down, right, left)

  1. Progression of exercises will only occur if participants are able to successfully complete the current weeks exercises. aVOR ×1 = horizontal / vertical head motions while maintaining focus on a stationary visual target; Far target = target at 3 m; Near target = target at 1 m; 2 targets = Participant first moves eyes to a target and while maintaining focus on target, moves head to face target; Head rotations = Participant rotates head side to side or up and down; Static base of support (BOS) = feet in place; Static Center of Mass (COM) = stationary body; Dynamic COM = moving body; Dynamic BOS = moving BOS, such as in walking