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Updated: Nov 1, 2025
Adapted Resistance Training Improves Strength in Eight Weeks in Individuals with Multiple Sclerosis
Published on: January 29, 2016
Participant experiences of eight weeks of supervised or home-based Pilates among people with multiple sclerosis: a
Karl M Fleming1,2, Matthew P Herring1,2, Susan B Coote1,3,4
1Physical Activity for Health Research Cluster, Health Research Institute, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland.
Purpose:
An exploratory qualitative study investigating participants' experiences of a feasibility study of supervised and home-based Pilates.
Methods:
All 10 females who participated in an eight-week supervised (n = 4) or home-based Pilates (n = 6) program were invited and agreed to be interviewed. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews and researcher observations of participant experiences. Data were analysed using codebook thematic analysis framework.
Results:
Two domain summaries emerged: (1) the suitability of home-based Pilates in particular for this population. Participants indicated that supervised and home-based Pilates was a safe, intensity-appropriate, and implementable exercise method to improve mental health outcomes among persons with multiple sclerosis (PwMS), and (2) the benefits experienced by PwMS while participating in Pilates. Home-based Pilates reduced both exercise participation and accessibility barriers commonly experienced by PwMS. Furthermore, PwMS reported improvements in mental health outcomes following Pilates, in both exercise environments.
Conclusions:
PwMS reported experiencing improved mood following regular Pilates training and indicated that home-based in particular reduced barriers regularly experienced by this population. Results support Pilates as a feasible exercise modality providing potential mood improvements among PwMS. Future appropriately powered home-based randomised controlled trials to further explore the effects of Pilates training on mental health among PwMS with minimal-to-mild mobility disability are warranted.Implications for RehabilitationParticipants in this study described the mental health benefits experienced from engaging in Pilates, a non-traditional exercise modality.Home-based Pilates overcame participatory and accessibility barriers to exercise among people with multiple sclerosis (MS).Participants valued that Pilates was low intensity and did not exacerbate fatigue.Home-based Pilates is a feasible exercise method for people with MS with minimal-to-mild mobility disability.
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