Developing a community-engaged wheelchair exercise program for persons with MS: community advisory board formation...

Area of Science:

• Rehabilitation Science
• Exercise Physiology
• Community-Based Participatory Research

Background:

• Multiple sclerosis (MS) symptoms like mobility impairment, cognitive dysfunction, and fatigue can be improved with exercise.
• Individuals with MS who use wheelchairs are often excluded from exercise research.
• Developing accessible exercise programs is crucial for this population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the development of a novel home-based exercise training program for wheelchair users with MS.
• To partner with community members in creating an inclusive and effective intervention.
• To utilize community-engaged research methods for intervention design.

Main Methods:

• Recruited ten community advisory board (CAB) members with MS who use wheelchairs.
• Collaborated with CAB members through online meetings to develop the exercise program.
• Incorporated Social Cognitive Theory principles into the program's design, including progressive exercise, equipment, and behavioral coaching.

Main Results:

• Content analysis of CAB feedback refined the exercise prescription, equipment options, and coaching strategies.
• CAB members provided positive feedback, suggesting additions like wrist weights for resistance training.
• The feedback was crucial for assessing program appropriateness before feasibility testing.

Conclusions:

• Community advisory board input was invaluable for creating and modifying the exercise program for wheelchair users with MS.
• This study offers a model for community-engaged research in developing exercise interventions for specific MS subpopulations.
• The findings suggest that involving community stakeholders can lead to more effective and beneficial health behavior interventions for individuals with disabilities.