Short-Term and Long-Term Effects of an Exercise-Based Patient Education Programme in People with Multiple Sclerosis:...

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Exercise Science

Background:

• People with Multiple Sclerosis (pwMS) experience reduced physical activity despite exercise benefits.
• Developing strategies for sustainable, self-regulated exercise management is crucial for pwMS.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the short- and long-term effects of an exercise-based patient education programme (ePEP).
• To assess the ePEP's ability to empower pwMS towards sustainable and self-regulated exercise training.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial with 14 pwMS, divided into an immediate experimental group (EG-I) and a waitlist-control group (EG-W).
• Biweekly ePEP sessions over six weeks, with assessments of walking ability, quality of life, fatigue, and self-efficacy at multiple time points.
• Analysis included a randomized control trial for short-term effects and a quasi-experimental design for long-term effects.

Main Results:

• Functional gait significantly improved in the immediate experimental group compared to the control group (p = 0.008).
• Moderate to large effects were observed in overall ePEP participants (EG-all) for walking ability.
• Quality of life and fatigue showed relevant but not statistically significant changes; self-efficacy remained unchanged.

Conclusions:

• The ePEP is a feasible approach to empower pwMS in managing exercise.
• The program demonstrates potential for fostering self-regulated and sustainable exercise training in pwMS.
• Long-term improvements in walking ability suggest the ePEP's effectiveness in promoting physical activity.