Rasouli, Omid, Vasseljen, Ottar, Fors, Egil A et al. · PloS one · 2018 · DOI
This study tested how well people with ME/CFS and fibromyalgia control their balance while standing still. Researchers found that both patient groups swayed more than healthy people and their bodies made slower, weaker adjustments to maintain balance. The two patient groups showed similar problems, suggesting they may share some underlying balance control difficulties.
This research reveals that postural control deficits are a measurable, objective feature of ME/CFS—not just subjective dizziness or balance complaints. Finding similar postural problems in both ME/CFS and fibromyalgia suggests these conditions may share neurological mechanisms affecting balance, which could guide future treatment strategies and help validate patient experiences.
This study does not prove that balance problems cause the fatigue or other symptoms of ME/CFS, only that they co-exist. It cannot establish whether postural control deficits are a primary feature of ME/CFS or a secondary consequence of deconditioning or reduced activity. The cross-sectional design prevents determination of causality or whether balance problems worsen over time.
About the PEM badge: “PEM required” means post-exertional malaise was an explicit required diagnostic criterion for participant inclusion in this study — not that PEM was studied, observed, or discussed. Studies using criteria that do not require PEM (e.g. Fukuda, Oxford) are tagged “PEM not required”. How the atlas works →
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