Telephone-Delivered Exercise for Multiple Sclerosis Fatigue

Summary

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a progressive demyelinating disorder that damages white matter in the central nervous system. Although individuals experience mobility (e.g., walking, balance) impairments that lower quality of life and limit participation in daily activities, one of the most prominent symptoms is fatigue. Up to 92% of individuals report fatigue that manifests as lack of energy, exhaustion or worsening of MS symptoms and ultimately contributes to increasing disability. The currently available pharmaceutical treatments fail to fully control fatigue in the majority of individuals with MS; non-pharmacologic therapies such as exercise and behavioral therapies offer the best hope for combating MS fatigue in the majority of individuals.

Exercise therapy is effective in reducing MS fatigue. However, access to exercise therapy is seriously limited for many individuals with MS due to geographical location, limited resources (e.g., financial, transportation), and/or disability. Thus, the development and evaluation of an alternative delivery method for exercise therapy to target MS-related fatigue that increases participation and reduces barriers is critical.

In this study, the investigators will compare traditional in-person delivered exercise therapy to telephone-delivered exercise therapy to target fatigue in persons with MS.

Conditions

• Multiple Sclerosis
• Fatigue
• Physical Activity

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Telephone-Delivered Exercise Therapy

A combination of aerobic and resistance training has been shown to be most effective for reducing fatigue in persons with MS. Aerobic training will consist of: 30 minutes of either cycling, treadmill walking or overground walking, 2x/week. Participants will be given a wrist-worn pedometer with heart-rate monitor to track their heart rate during training. Participants will be progressed to reach 60-70% of their maximal heart rate during aerobic training over the course of the study. Strength training will consist of hip extension, hip flexion, hip abduction, knee extension and knee flexion movements with resistance bands performed 3x/week. This home exercise program will be paired with a 1x/week telephone call with an investigator.

BEHAVIORAL

In-Person Delivered Exercise Therapy

A combination of aerobic and resistance training has been shown to be most effective for reducing fatigue in persons with MS. Aerobic training will consist of: 30 minutes of either cycling, treadmill walking or overground walking, 2x/week. Participants will be given a wrist-worn pedometer with heart-rate monitor to track their heart rate during training. Participants will be progressed to reach 60-70% of their maximal heart rate during aerobic training over the course of the study. Strength training will consist of hip extension, hip flexion, hip abduction, knee extension and knee flexion movements with resistance bands performed 3x/week. This home exercise program will be paired with a 1x/week visit to the laboratory to work with a physical therapist or trained team member.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• National Multiple Sclerosis Society

  collaborator OTHER

• University of Michigan

  collaborator OTHER

• Wayne State University

  lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2017-06-01

Primary Completion

2018-05-31

Completion

2018-07-31

Countries

• United States

Study Locations