News MS Patients Can Tolerate Exercise According to University of Vermont Study MS Patients Can Tolerate Exercise According to University of Vermont Study by Patricia Silva, PhD | September 29, 2014 Share this article: Share article via email Copy article link A new study conducted at theĀ Department of Rehabilitation and Movement Science of the University of Vermont, reinforces the idea that multiple sclerosis patients can handleĀ exerciseĀ regimens, despite their mobility difficulties, in order toĀ improve not only their motor capacities, but also their quality of life. Although over 90% of patients report having difficulties with mobility, maintaining it is one MS patients’ highest priorities. Susan Kasser, PhD, was able to demonstrate that patients with MS tolerate exercise, and that it improves their fitness, function, and quality of life, in her studyĀ “Understanding and Treating Balance Impairment in Multiple Sclerosis,” which was conducted in collaboration with Jesse V. Jacobs, PhD,Ā and was recently published in theĀ Journal of Clinical Outcomes Management. “Given the inherent variability of MS and the heterogeneity of symptoms and disease course across individuals, no single exercise prescription is optimal for all those diagnosed. Treatment goals must be individualized,” explained Kasser, who is the director of theĀ Exercise and Movement Science Program and is an associate professor of Rehabilitation and Movement Science at the University of Vermont. [adrotate group=”4″] Kasser concluded in her study that balance-oriented exercise can help patients with MS, improving their balance and functional mobility, even though she believes further study is needed on the topic.Ā The National Multiple Sclerosis Society recommends that patients integrate into exercise groups especially created for them, which included individualized exercise programsĀ designedĀ for cardiovascular fitness, strength, and balance, which may also help in decreasingĀ fatigueĀ and depression. A physiotherapy professor from the Flinders University, in Adelaide, Australia, recently created aĀ new training manual for clinicians, as she advocates the need forĀ regular and ongoing physiotherapy in the public health system. Sheila Lennon also believes that group exercise can be beneficial in improving patients’ health and quality of life. Print This Page About the Author Patricia Silva, PhD PatrĆcia holds a PhD in medical microbiology and infectious diseases from the Leiden University Medical Center, Netherlands, and completed a postdoctoral research fellowship at the Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Lisbon, Portugal. Her work in academia was mainly focused on molecular biology and the genetic traits of infectious agents such as viruses and parasites. PatrĆcia earned several travel awards to present her work at international scientific meetings. She is a published author of several peer-reviewed science articles. Tags multiple sclerosis
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