Multiple SclerosisNCT07918339
Virtual Reality Versus Mental Practice On Balance And Gait In Patients With Multiple Sclerosis
A study testing Mental Practice, Virtual Reality and Selected Physical Therapy Program in people with Multiple Sclerosis, run by Cairo University at 1 site in Egypt.
Trial summary
This study is conducted to: Investigate the effect of virtual reality based training on balance and risk of falling. Investigate the effect of virtual reality based training on gait. Investigate the effect of mental practice on balance and risk of falling. Investigate the effect of mental practice on gait. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 20 to 35 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Multiple Sclerosis
- What is being tested?
- Mental Practice, Virtual Reality and Selected Physical Therapy Program
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 54 participants
- Where
- 1 siteEgypt
- Study dates
- 1 Mar 2026to 30 Mar 2027
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 20 to 35 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Patients with RRMS.
- Patient's age will be range from 20 - 35 years..
- Patients are able to walk 10 meter with or without assistance.
- Patients with ≤ 6 according to an Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS).
- Patients are cognitively able to follow instructions.
- Patient's body mass index (BMI) will be ranged from 18.5 to 29.99 Kg/m2.
Who cannot join
- Patients with MS relapse in the last 30 days.
- Visual impairments interfering with VR.
- Severe spasticity or orthopaedic deformity.
- Recent musculoskeletal injury.
- History of epilepsy or motion sickness with VR.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Egypt1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University
Giza, Giza Governorate
About this study
This study is conducted to:
- Investigate the effect of virtual reality based training on balance and risk of falling.
- Investigate the effect of virtual reality based training on gait.
- Investigate the effect of mental practice on balance and risk of falling.
- Investigate the effect of mental practice on gait.
- Compare between the effect of virtual reality based training and mental practice on balance and gait
Read the detailed description
Background: Multiple sclerosis affects the central integration of sensory afferents that causes disturbance of balance, postural control and gait. Exercise interventions performed through VR applications encourage participants to engage in challenging tasks that integrate motor and cognitive demands, enhance patients' sensory processing and integration systems and allows them to receive information feedback and improve the motivation of training. Mental Practice is a complex cognitive operation that is possible thanks to the use of sensory and perceptive processes that allow an individual to reactivate specific motor actions in the working memory.
Purpose: This study is conducted to Investigate the effect of virtual reality based training on balance and risk of falling, Investigate the effect of virtual reality based training on gait, Investigate the effect of mental practice on balance and risk of falling, Investigate the effect of mental practice on gait and to compare between the effect of virtual reality based training and mental practice on balance and gait.
Methods: Fifty four patients of both sexes with relapsing remitting MS (RRMS). The patients will be diagnosed as having RRMS based on careful clinical examination by neurologist and diagnosis will be confirmed by radiological investigations as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Patients will be recruited from the outpatient clinic of Faculty of Physical Therapy, Pharos University in Alexandria and private clinics. Patients in this study will be randomly divided into three groups.
- Group (I) which will include 18 patients who will receive mental practice in addition to selected physical therapy .
- Group (II) which will include 18 patients who will receive virtual reality based training in addition to selected physical therapy.
- Group (III) which will include 18 patients who will receive selected physical therapy.
The treatment will be conducted 3 sessions per week for 6 weeks for 45 minutes.
Results: Data analysis with 2-way mixed Design MANOVA will be used to compare the groups for normally distributed data and Kruskal Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests will be used to compare the groups for non-parametric and not normally distributed data.
- Conditions
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Being tested
- Mental Practice, Virtual Reality, Selected Physical Therapy Program
- Keywords
- Multiple Sclerosis,, Mental Practice, Virtual Reality, Balance, Gait
- Medical subject headings
- Multiple Sclerosis
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Mental PracticeOther
Mental Practice is among the recommended strategies to enhance performance. MP is a symbolic exercise, involving repeated mental imagery in the absence of any visible muscle contraction.
Virtual RealityOther
The virtual environment presented via Head Mounted Display (HMD) has three-dimensional presentation and the panoramic view that covers the users' field of view, it facilitates immersion in the virtual and distraction from the real world
Selected Physical Therapy ProgramOther
Dual tasking and Task oriented training in static and dynamic forms
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Mental Practice | Experimental | Not described Receives: Other: Mental Practice |
| Virtual Reality | Experimental | Not described Receives: Other: Virtual Reality |
| Selected Physical Therapy Program | Experimental | Not described Receives: Other: Selected Physical Therapy Program |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Gait
spatial, temporal and angular parameters as cadence, step length and range of motion of hip, knee and ankle will be measured using software analysis "Kinovea" Kinovea is a free, open-source 2D video analysis software. It does not generate a single composite "score". Instead, it measures quantitative biomechanical and kinematic metrics from recorded video.
Measured: 6 weeks
Gait
"10 minutes walk test" will be performed pre and post treatment by asking the patient to walk through a 12 meter walkway and calculate the time for 10 meters in tha walkway in two walking speeds( normal - fast) for 2 or 3 trials of each speed Speed > 1.2 m/s: Normal / Community AmbulatorAble to safely cross street intersections and navigate crowded environments.
0.8 - 1.2 m/s: Limited Community Ambulator/ Able to walk outdoors independently 0.4 - 0.8 m/s: Household Ambulator/ Mostly restricted to indoor walking; requires assistance or equipment outdoors.
< 0.4 m/s: Severe Functional Limitation
Measured: 6 weeks
Balance
static and dynamic balance will be assessed using "Berg Balance Scale" The Berg Balance Scale (BBS) is a 14-item clinical assessment scale designed to measure static balance and dynamic functional mobility, Point Scale: Each of the 14 tasks is rated on a 0 to 4 ordinal scale based on safety, independence, time held, or distance reached, Scores are summed across all items for a overall score ranging from 0 to 56 points (higher scores reflect better balance and mobility).
Measured: 6 weeks
Balance
"Timed Up and Go" test giving numerical data pre and post treatment about balance and risk of falling
Test is scored entirely by time (in seconds):
Time < 10 seconds: Normal / Completely IndependentFreely mobile; minimal to no fall risk 10 - 19 seconds: Mostly Independent, Reasonable balance and gait speed, generally low fall risk 20 - 29 seconds: Variable MobilityImpaired mobility, slower gait speed > 30 seconds: Severely Impaired, high fall risk
Measured: 6 weeks
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted5 Nov 2026
- Study start1 Mar 2026
- Primary completion15 Mar 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion30 Mar 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Multiple SclerosisStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Cairo UniversityThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 54 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Cairo University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Ola Zaghloul Muhammad Ali Asal, Cairo University
- Investigators
- Nagwa I Rehab, PhD, Study director, Cairo UniversityRania M Tawfik, PhD, Study director, Cairo UniversityEbtesam M Fahmy, PhD, Study director, Cairo University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07918339
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- P.T.REC/012/006172
- Status last verified
- Mar 2026
- First submitted
- 17 Mar 2026
- Last updated
- 5 Nov 2026
- Results posted
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 5 Nov 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Virtual Reality Versus Mental Practice On Balance And Gait In Patients With Multiple Sclerosis
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07918339
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- P.T.REC/012/006172
- Conditions
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Keywords
- Multiple Sclerosis,, Mental Practice, Virtual Reality, Balance, Gait
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 54 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Cairo UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 Mar 2026 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 15 Mar 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 30 Mar 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 5 Nov 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This study is conducted to:
- Investigate the effect of virtual reality based training on balance and risk of falling.
- Investigate the effect of virtual reality based training on gait.
- Investigate the effect of mental practice on balance and risk of falling.
- Investigate the effect of mental practice on gait.
- Compare between the effect of virtual reality based training and mental practice on balance and gait
Detailed description
Background: Multiple sclerosis affects the central integration of sensory afferents that causes disturbance of balance, postural control and gait. Exercise interventions performed through VR applications encourage participants to engage in challenging tasks that integrate motor and cognitive demands, enhance patients' sensory processing and integration systems and allows them to receive information feedback and improve the motivation of training. Mental Practice is a complex cognitive operation that is possible thanks to the use of sensory and perceptive processes that allow an individual to reactivate specific motor actions in the working memory.
Purpose: This study is conducted to Investigate the effect of virtual reality based training on balance and risk of falling, Investigate the effect of virtual reality based training on gait, Investigate the effect of mental practice on balance and risk of falling, Investigate the effect of mental practice on gait and to compare between the effect of virtual reality based training and mental practice on balance and gait.
Methods: Fifty four patients of both sexes with relapsing remitting MS (RRMS). The patients will be diagnosed as having RRMS based on careful clinical examination by neurologist and diagnosis will be confirmed by radiological investigations as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Patients will be recruited from the outpatient clinic of Faculty of Physical Therapy, Pharos University in Alexandria and private clinics. Patients in this study will be randomly divided into three groups.
- Group (I) which will include 18 patients who will receive mental practice in addition to selected physical therapy .
- Group (II) which will include 18 patients who will receive virtual reality based training in addition to selected physical therapy.
- Group (III) which will include 18 patients who will receive selected physical therapy.
The treatment will be conducted 3 sessions per week for 6 weeks for 45 minutes.
Results: Data analysis with 2-way mixed Design MANOVA will be used to compare the groups for normally distributed data and Kruskal Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests will be used to compare the groups for non-parametric and not normally distributed data.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 3
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Mental Practice | Experimental | Other: Mental Practice |
| Virtual Reality | Experimental | Other: Virtual Reality |
| Selected Physical Therapy Program | Experimental | Other: Selected Physical Therapy Program |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 20 to 35 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (6 listed)
- Patients with RRMS.
- Patient's age will be range from 20 - 35 years..
- Patients are able to walk 10 meter with or without assistance.
- Patients with ≤ 6 according to an Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS).
- Patients are cognitively able to follow instructions.
Key exclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Patients with MS relapse in the last 30 days.
- Visual impairments interfering with VR.
- Severe spasticity or orthopaedic deformity.
- Recent musculoskeletal injury.
- History of epilepsy or motion sickness with VR.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Mental PracticeMental Practice is among the recommended strategies to enhance performance. MP is a symbolic exercise, involving repeated mental imagery in the absence of any visible muscle contraction. | Other | Mental Practice |
| Virtual RealityThe virtual environment presented via Head Mounted Display (HMD) has three-dimensional presentation and the panoramic view that covers the users' field of view, it facilitates immersion in the virtual and distraction from the real world | Other | Virtual Reality |
| Selected Physical Therapy ProgramDual tasking and Task oriented training in static and dynamic forms | Other | Selected Physical Therapy Program |
Primary outcome
Gait
Time frame: 6 weeks
spatial, temporal and angular parameters as cadence, step length and range of motion of hip, knee and ankle will be measured using software analysis "Kinovea" Kinovea is a free, open-source 2D video analysis software. It does not generate a single composite "score". Instead, it measures quantitative biomechanical and kinematic metrics from recorded video.
Gait
Time frame: 6 weeks
"10 minutes walk test" will be performed pre and post treatment by asking the patient to walk through a 12 meter walkway and calculate the time for 10 meters in tha walkway in two walking speeds( normal - fast) for 2 or 3 trials of each speed Speed > 1.2 m/s: Normal / Community AmbulatorAble to safely cross street intersections and navigate crowded environments. 0.8 - 1.2 m/s: Limited Community Ambulator/ Able to walk outdoors independently 0.4 - 0.8 m/s: Household Ambulator/ Mostly restricted to indoor walking; requires assistance or equipment outdoors. < 0.4 m/s: Severe Functional Limitation
Balance
Time frame: 6 weeks
static and dynamic balance will be assessed using "Berg Balance Scale" The Berg Balance Scale (BBS) is a 14-item clinical assessment scale designed to measure static balance and dynamic functional mobility, Point Scale: Each of the 14 tasks is rated on a 0 to 4 ordinal scale based on safety, independence, time held, or distance reached, Scores are summed across all items for a overall score ranging from 0 to 56 points (higher scores reflect better balance and mobility).
Balance
Time frame: 6 weeks
"Timed Up and Go" test giving numerical data pre and post treatment about balance and risk of falling Test is scored entirely by time (in seconds): Time < 10 seconds: Normal / Completely IndependentFreely mobile; minimal to no fall risk 10 - 19 seconds: Mostly Independent, Reasonable balance and gait speed, generally low fall risk 20 - 29 seconds: Variable MobilityImpaired mobility, slower gait speed > 30 seconds: Severely Impaired, high fall risk
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 5 Nov 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
Nagwa I Rehab, PhD study director
Cairo University
Rania M Tawfik, PhD study director
Cairo University
Ebtesam M Fahmy, PhD study director
Cairo University
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Mental Practice, Virtual Reality and Selected Physical Therapy Program in people with Multiple Sclerosis, run by Cairo University at 1 site in Egypt.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 6 inclusion and 5 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 5 Nov 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Egypt. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Ola Z Asal, BSc (00201023830508, ola25jan@gmail.com), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Gait (time frame: 6 weeks). The study lists 4 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 5 Nov 2026.