Exercise for myeloma patients with bone disease: a scoping review

Exercise is considered safe for patients with myeloma, but evidence specific to multiple myeloma bone disease (MMBD) is unclear. Scoping review aims: 1) Review the literature on exercise interventions for myeloma patients that included those with MMBD 2) Map reporting of safety, assessment and intervention characteristics 3) Identify bone-related outcomes measuring changes in MMBD 4) Highlight research priorities.

Following the Joanna Briggs Institute framework, a comprehensive search of PubMed, OVID-MEDLINE, and CINAHL between 1946 to October 2025 was conducted.

Twelve studies met inclusion criteria, though none focused exclusively on MMBD patients. Reporting of MMBD characteristics varied; across 346 participants, prevalence ranged from 69-86%. There were 7 exercise-related adverse events, but it was not reported if they occurred in MMBD patients. Most studies used medical clearance, imaging, or standardized tools to assess participants' suitability for exercise. However, procedures varied between studies and haematological considerations were generally not utilised. Patients were commonly excluded if they had spinal instability, spinal cord compression or were at risk of a fracture. Interventions occurred across all disease stages and commonly involved tailored, supervised/ unsupervised aerobic and resistance exercise, led by physiotherapists. However, practitioner experience, exercise modifications for MMBD and bone-related outcomes were infrequently reported, limiting clinical application.

Exercise appears safe for MMBD patients under certain exclusion criteria, but inconsistent reporting of adverse events in MMBD patients, MMBD characteristics, assessments, and exercise adaptations limits clinical translation, highlighting the need for targeted trials with only MMBD patients and bone-specific outcomes.