Article

OBJECTIVE: To establish the effects of a 12-week, community-based group exercise
intervention for people moderately affected with multiple sclerosis. DESIGN:
Randomized controlled pilot trial. SETTING: Two community leisure centres.
PARTICIPANTS: Thirty-two participants with multiple sclerosis randomized into
intervention or control groups. INTERVENTION: 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. MAIN
OUTCOME MEASURES: 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. RESULTS:
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). CONCLUSION: 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.

Langue : ANGLAIS