The effects of a 12-week leisure centre-based, group exercise intervention for people moderately affected with multiple sclerosis: a randomized controlled pilot study
<b>Objective:</b> To establish the effects of a 12-week, community-based group exercise intervention for people moderately affected with multiple sclerosis.
<b>Design:</b> Randomised controlled pilot trial.
<b>Setting:</b> Two community leisure centres.
<b>Participants:</b> Thirty-two participants with multiple sclerosis randomised into intervention or control groups.
<b>Intervention:</b> The intervention group received 12 weeks of twice weekly, 60-minute group exercise sessions, including mobility, balance and resistance exercises. The control group received usual care.
<b>Main outcome measures:</b> An assessor blinded to group allocation assessed participants at baseline, after eight weeks and after 12 weeks. The primary outcome measure was 25-foot (7.6 m) walk time, secondary outcomes assessed walking endurance, balance, physical function, leg strength, body mass index, activity levels, fatigue, anxiety and depression, quality of life and goal attainment.
<b>Results:</b> The intervention made no statistically significant difference to the results of participants’ 25-foot walk time. However the intervention led to many improvements. In the intervention group levels of physical activity improved statistically between baseline and week 8 (P < 0.001) and baseline and week 12 (P = 0.005). Balance confidence results showed a significant difference between baseline and week 12 (P = 0.013). Good effect sizes were found for dynamic balance (d = 0.80), leg strength (d = 1.33), activity levels (d = 1.05) and perceived balance (d = 0.94).
<b>Conclusion:</b> The results of the study suggest that community-based group exercise classes are a feasible option for people moderately affected with multiple sclerosis, and offer benefits such as improved physical activity levels, balance and leg strength
