Multiple sclerosis and brief moderate exercise. A randomised study

Abstract

This is a randomised control study, to determine the effect of aerobic and strength exercise on physical fitness and quality of life in patients with mild multiple sclerosis (MS). Sixteen outpatients with definitive MS, aged 18-50, with an Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) <4, completed the study. Every patient was evaluated according to physical fitness with peak oxygen consumption (V'O2peak), workload and anaerobic threshold; quality of life (SF-36); and degree of disability (EDSS). The patients were then randomised to an exercise group (EG) (n =6) or a control group (CG) (n = 10). The EG exercised three times a week for five weeks, and the CG did not change their habits regarding exercise. In the EG, the mean change in workload was 0.34 W/kg (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.09-0.58), the mean change in V'O2peak was 4.54 mL/kg per minute (95% CI: 1.65-7.44), and the mean change in anaerobic threshold was 0.32 L/min (95% CI: 0.08-0.57). There was a tendency towards improved quality of life, and no change was detected in the degree of disability. This study confirms that brief, moderate, aerobic exercise improves physical fitness in individuals with mild MS. No evidence was found for worsening of MS symptoms in association with exercises.

The Effects of a Yoga Intervention on Balance, Speed and Endurance of Walking, Fatigue and Quality of Life in People with Multiple Sclerosis

“…Nevertheless, other exercise programs can also led to improve in quality of life. Previous studies of MS individuals showed beneficial effects on health-related quality of life after, 4 weeks of bicycle exercise training (Mostert, 2002), or 5 weeks of aerobic and strength exercise (Bjarnadottir, 2007). In this connection, Rampello et al (2007), found after the 8-weeks bicycle exercise training program, the subjects showed a significant increase in 3 MSQOL-54 scale scores (emotional well-being, energy, and health distress).…”

Multiple sclerosis and exercise in people with minimal gait impairment – a review

“…21 Additionally, there was a trend towards improvement in fitness in the group that took part in a programme for 5 weeks (measured as Graded Exercise Test). 23 There was no change in fitness in the studies with a 3 week intervention with a 23 week home exercise programme (HEP). [20][21][22]24 Effect on activity…”

The Importance of Physical Fitness in Multiple Sclerosis

“…Aerobic and combined aerobic and resistance training interventions have improved cardiorespiratory fitness along with beneficial changes in walking performance [46,47], spatiotemporal gait parameters [48], and symptomatic fatigue [46,47,[49][50][51] in persons with MS. For example, 8 weeks (3x/week) of moderate intensity leg cycling resulted in a significant increase in VO 2peak measured on a leg cycle ergometer, 6MW distance, and self-reported energy levels in 11 persons with MS who had moderate disability (mean EDSS=3.5) [46]. Exercise training interventions that primarily involved resistance training have improved muscular fitness, as well as walking performance [52][53][54][55][56], and symptomatic fatigue [49,51,55,57] in persons with MS. For example, significant improvements in knee flexor peak torque measured on a seated dynamometer, and T25FW and 500 MW performance were observed following 26 weeks of resistance (4x/ week) and aerobic training (1x/week) in 91 persons with MS who had a range of disability (EDSS range=1-5.5) [16].…”