ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Core stability exercise programs have become popular in recent years for preserving balance and functional independence in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS); however, their real impact is not well-known as the main intervention target (i.e., core stability) theoretically responsible for balance or functional improvements is not measured. The objective of this study was to test the reliability of accelerometers integrated into smartphones for quantifying core stability and developing exercise progressions in PwMS. METHODS: Twenty participants with MS [age: 47.5±8.0 years; height: 1.62±0.07 m; mass: 63.4±10.9 kg; EDSS: 3.0 (1.5-6)] participated voluntarily in this study. CS was assessed in different variations of the front, side, and back bridges and bird-dog exercises by measuring the mean lumbopelvic acceleration in two testing sessions, separated by one week. Relative and absolute reliability of lumbopelvic acceleration of those exercise variations performed by more than 60% of the participants was analyzed by the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC3,1), and the standard error of measurement (SEM) and the minimal detectable change (MDC), respectively. Repeated measures ANOVAs were performed to detect a potential learning effect between test-retest assessments. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. RESULTS: Reliability analyses revealed that good to excellent relative and absolute scores (0.85