Stephens 2001.
| Methods | Randomised controlled trial | |
| Participants | n = 12, ATM = 6, EDU = 6 No statistically significant difference between groups for characteristics or outcomes at baseline |
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| Interventions | ATM: Class led by Guild Certified Feldenkrais practitioners & based on the principles of this approach to developing functional movement awareness progressively through practice of tasks. 8 classes of 2‐4 hours totaling 20 hours over 10 weeks EDU: Group education on topics of acupuncture, exercise, social support and dealing with MS. 4 classes of 90 minutes over 10 weeks |
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| Outcomes | NUmber of falls per person, sway velocity, balance confidence, MS self‐efficacy | |
| Notes | ATM: Awareness Through Movement, EDU: Education, ,CTSIB: modified Clinical Test of Sensory Interaction in Balance, ABC: Activities‐Specific Balance Confidence Scale | |
| Risk of bias | ||
| Bias | Authors' judgement | Support for judgement |
| Random sequence generation (selection bias) | Unclear risk | “Subjects were randomly assigned to the ATM group of the control group”. Therefore, there is insufficient information about the sequence generation process available to permit a judgement of ‘low risk’ or ‘high risk’ |
| Allocation concealment (selection bias) | Unclear risk | Insufficient information about the allocation concealment process available to permit a judgement of ‘low risk’ or ‘high risk’ |
| Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias) All outcomes | Unclear risk | While some participants knew each other prior to the study, an attempt was made to prevent communication between groups by scheduling classes at different times”. Blinding of key study participants and personnel attempted, but likely that the blinding could have been broken. Therefore Insufficient information available to permit a judgement of ‘low risk’ or ‘high risk’ |
| Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias) All outcomes | Unclear risk | The study did not address this outcome |
| Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) All outcomes | Unclear risk | The study did not address this outcome |
| Selective reporting (reporting bias) | Unclear risk | No registered trial cited in the paper‐ cannot compare with a‐priori plans for analyses |
| Other bias | Unclear risk | The output of the sample size is unclear in terms of how it relates to study participant numbers |