Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory demyelinating autoimmune condition that affects an individual’s sensory and motor pathways and is progressive in nature.
This disease can come in many different presentations, and progress at different rates. Unfortunately, current management of this condition only slows it’s progression, there is not yet any way to reverse this.
Due to MS symptoms including mobility impairments, fatigue, decreased strength, loss of balance, and heat sensitivity, people living with MS are much less physically active when compared to healthy individuals (Kinnett-Hopkins et al., 2017). This inactivity increases with the severity of their disability (Beckerman, 2010), and could lead to an increased rate of progression of the disease.
Physical Inactivity
This is something that we aim to change through exercise interventions, as it is known that physical inactivity will increase the speed of MS Symptoms. Here are some of the impacts that not being active enough can have:
- Worsening of mobility: There is an association between a lack of physical fitness (potentially due to physical inactivity) and walking impairment in those with MS (Sandroff et al., 2015)
- Increased fatigue levels: there is an association between sedentary behaviour and fatigue levels for those living with MS. (Ertekin, Kara, Abasıyanık, Kahraman, & Özakbaş, 2023)
- Faster cognitive decline: those who are physically inactive have slower cognitive processing than those who are more active in MS populations. (Motl, Sandroff, & Benedict, 2022)
- A combination of decline in the above symptoms will lead to a faster overall progression of the disease.
Exercise
The good news is, there are ways that you can slow the progression of MS. One of these methods is to exercise, and decrease the amount of sedentary behaviour! Here are some of the benefits of exercise for those who have MS:
- Exercise encourages the growth of new brain cells, supports the development of brain cell structures, protects the brain, improves neural connections, and aids in the repair of nerve cell insulation (Lozinski, 2020)
- Exercise reduces brain volume loss in the cortex and deep grey matter (Motl, 2015). These Neurological changes can occur no matter the disease severity (Devashayam, 2017)
- There is the potential for reduced relapse rates as a result of regular exercise (Langeskov-Christensen, 2021).
- Reduction in fatigue levels.
- Improvement in strength, mobility and balance.
Recommendations
So how much should you be exercising? And what types of exercise should you be completing?
We have put together a free resource with exercise recommendations, which are proposed by Exercise and Sports Science Australia. Just enter your details below and we will email you a PDF with these recommendations.
If you are finding it hard to meet these exercise recommendations, and need assistance to overcome potential barriers preventing you from doing so, please contact us to get in touch with one of our Exercise Physiologists. We will be more than happy to help you put healthy lifestyle interventions into place to best manage your condition.
Are you meeting the recommended amount of exercise for someone living with MS?
Enter your details and we will email you the exercise recommendations.
References:
- Devasahayam, A. J., Downer, M. B., & Ploughman, M. (2017). The Effects of Aerobic Exercise on the Recovery of Walking Ability and Neuroplasticity in People with Multiple Sclerosis: A Systematic Review of Animal and Clinical Studies. Multiple Sclerosis International, 2017, 4815958. https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/4815958
- Ertekin, Ö., Kara, T., Abasıyanık, Z., Kahraman, T., & Özakbaş, S. (2023). Sedentary behaviour and related factors in people with multiple sclerosis. Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders, 105152. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msard.2023.105152
- Heleen Beckerman, Vincent de Groot, Maarten A. Scholten, Jiska C.E. Kempen, Gustaaf J. Lankhorst. (2010). Physical Activity Behavior of People With Multiple Sclerosis: Understanding How They Can Become More Physically Active. Physical Therapy, 90(7), 1001–1013. https://doi.org/10.2522/ptj.20090345
- Kinnett-Hopkins, D., Adamson, B., Rougeau, K., & Motl, R. W. (2017). People with MS are less physically active than healthy controls but as active as those with other chronic diseases: An updated meta-analysis. Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders, 13, 38–43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msard.2017.01.016
- Langeskov-Christensen, M., Hvid, L. G., Jensen, H. B., Nielsen, H. H., Petersen, T., Stenager, E., & Dalgas, U. (2022). Efficacy of high-intensity aerobic exercise on common multiple sclerosis symptoms. Acta Neurologica Scandinavica, 145(2), 229–238. https://doi.org/10.1111/ane.13540
- Motl, R. W., & Sandroff, B. M. (2015). Benefits of exercise training in multiple sclerosis. Current Neurology and Neuroscience Reports, 15(9), 54. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11910-015-0572-2
- Motl, R. W., Sandroff, B. M., & Benedict, R. H. B. (2022). Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity is associated with processing speed, but not learning and memory, in cognitively impaired persons with multiple sclerosis. Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders, 63, 103833. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msard.2022.103833
- Sandroff, B. M., Klaren, R. E., & Motl, R. W. (2015). Relationships Among Physical Inactivity, Deconditioning, and Walking Impairment in Persons With Multiple Sclerosis. Journal of Neurologic Physical Therapy, 39(2), 103-110. https://doi.org/10.1097/NPT.0000000000000087
