Emily Splichal, DPM: Insoles for Improving Balance, Posture, and Gait in MS

“The earlier you bring stimulation to the feet and to the nerves of the feet—thinking neuroplasticity—they’re going to continually adapt to that stimulus and stay connected to their feet. It may help them on the earlier side of things versus waiting until they’re too far progressed to see any of those changes.”

Many patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) end up experiencing ambulatory symptoms such as challenges in balance, posture, and gait, which can lead to a fear of falls, among other issues. While some interventions exist to address these symptoms, plenty of patients continue to experience ambulation problems.

To attempt to address this, Emily Splichal, DPM, a podiatrist and CEO of Naboso Technology, has helped developed Naboso’s textured insoles and mats, the first and only of their kind. These insoles are thin and feature 2-point discrimination as a way to access the mechanoreceptors of the foot, specifically, the SA1 Merkel disc. According to Splichal, they are simple in design but profound in effect, and applicable to a number of chronic neurologic conditions.

To find out more about these insoles and what they can offer physicians who are treating patients with MS, NeurologyLive^® spoke with Splichal at the 2019 Annual Meeting of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC), May 28-June 1, in Seattle, Washington.

For more coverage of CMSC 2019, click here.

REFERENCE

Innovating neurorehabilitation. Naboso website. nabosotechnology.com/neuro-rehabilitation. Accessed May 29, 2019.