Consumer experience of a flexible exercise participation program (FEPP) for individuals with multiple sclerosis: A...

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Rehabilitation Science
• Exercise Physiology

Background:

• Multiple Sclerosis (MS) presents challenges to maintaining physical activity.
• A novel Flexible Exercise Participation Program (FEPP) was developed to support exercise engagement in individuals with MS.
• The FEPP is guided by aerobic exercise recommendations and delivered with physiotherapist support using behavior change techniques.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the acceptability of the FEPP among individuals with MS.
• To gather participant feedback for program improvement.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods sequential explanatory design was employed.
• Quantitative surveys were followed by qualitative interviews.
• Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (SPSS) and thematic analysis (NVivo).

Main Results:

• The FEPP demonstrated high acceptability among 10 participants.
• Key themes included exploring exercise boundaries, energy management, accountability, pandemic adaptations, and sustained participation.
• Participant recommendations focused on refining energy monitoring and integrating peer support.

Conclusions:

• The FEPP is a highly acceptable intervention for individuals with MS.
• Flexibility in activity choice and professional support were highly valued.
• Future iterations will incorporate daily monitoring and peer support to optimize exercise balance.