March 5, 2024 News by Marisa Wexler, MS ACTRIMS 2024: Progressive MS patients show gains in NG-01 OLE Repeated treatment with the mesenchymal stem cell therapy NG-01 led to gains in mobility and cognition, along with patient-reported quality of life, for most people with progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) in an extension study. Markers of nerve damage were also reduced, indicating significant nerve-protecting effects. Dimitrios Karussis, MD,…
August 10, 2023 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD Physical activity may reduce fatigue in people with RRMS: Trial More daily physical activity, better physical condition, and lower disability were all associated with less fatigue for people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), according to a clinical trial in Finland. āThe findings are interesting and support previous studies very well,” Marko Luostarinen, a doctoral researcher at the University of…
June 12, 2023 News by Patricia Valerio, PhD Physical activity may improve life quality in newly diagnosed patients Engaging in physical activity may improve the quality of life for people newly diagnosed withĀ multiple sclerosis, a link that remained even after accounting for other factors such as fatigue and disability status, a study shows.
January 10, 2023 News by Joana Vindeirinho, PhD Lifestyle Changes to Increase Physical Activity Improved MS Fatigue A behavioral intervention that teaches people with multiple sclerosis (MS) strategies for becoming physically active significantly improved patient-reported measures of fatigue over a year, but had no effect on other self-reported disease measures, according to new data from a Phase 3 trial. Earlier results had shown that the approach,…
December 28, 2022 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD Walking Difficulties Improve for MS Patients With Natural Supplement Daily use of MS14, a natural product derived from Persian medicine, safely led to gains in physical activity and walking for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) with walking difficulties, according to data from a small placebo-controlled trial. MS14, which contains both herbal and marine ingredients, “could be used as…
September 6, 2022 News by Hawken Miller First Descents Prescribes Good Medicine From the Great Outdoors Doctors typically prescribe medications to help manage symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS), but a veteran nonprofit focuses on a little-known, much-overlooked part of treatment: therapeutic adventuring. First Descents was founded in 2001 to bring free outdoor activities to young adults with cancer. After a successful pilot study,…
June 15, 2022 by BioNews Staff Expert Voices: Pain management for people with multiple sclerosis In this installment of our āExpert Voicesā series, Multiple Sclerosis News Today asked Dawn Ehde, PhD, to answer some of your questions about pain management for people with multiple sclerosis. Ehde is a clinical psychologist and professor of rehabilitation medicine at the University of Washington in Seattle, where…
May 12, 2022 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Stress-reducing Activities Linked to Lower Risk of Depression, Fatigue Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients undertaking stress-reducing activities ā particularly physical and relaxation activities or meditation ā at least once a week are less likely to have depression, an international study shows. Additional links were found between physical activity and reduced risk of fatigue, and between meditation and a greater…
February 14, 2022 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Physical Activity, Coping Skills Can Help to Ease Anxiety With MS Getting more physical activity and having effective ways of coping with multiple sclerosis (MS) could help to ease anxiety in patients, a review study suggests. “The findings of this review highlight links between anxiety in MS and a number of diverse factors, all of which are amenable to change,”…
February 24, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Physical Inactivity, Smoking Linked to Patient Fatigue People with multiple sclerosis (MS) who smoke tobacco or are not physically active are more likely to experience fatigue that interferes with their daily life, a new study indicates. The findings suggest that physical exercise and quitting smoking could help ease fatigue in people with MS. The study, “…
December 9, 2020 News by Diana Campelo Delgado MS Has Greater Impact on Womenās Physical Activity, Study Reveals Multiple sclerosis (MS) has a greater impact on women, reducing their levels of physical activity and increasing sedentary behavior, a recent study has found. The study, āDoes Multiple Sclerosis Differently Impact Physical Activity in Women and Man? A Quantitative Study Based on Wearable Accelerometersā was published in the…
December 8, 2020 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Adolescents With MS Have Lower Levels of Physical Fitness, Study Reports Adolescents with multiple sclerosis (MS) have lower levels of fitness compared with healthy teenagers of the same age and a sex, a study suggests. Findings also demonstrated that among younger MS patients, higher levels of fitness were associated with lower disease activity and disability. The study āYouth with…
September 4, 2020 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD MS Patients Who Interact With Health Information More Likely to Adopt Healthy Lifestyle Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients who interact with different sources of health information are more likely to adopt and maintain healthy lifestyle behaviors, a study has found. A combination of in-person interactive educational workshops and practical tools to implement these concepts in daily life may be the best strategy to…
July 17, 2020 News by Steve Bryson, PhD Special Exercise App Wins Favor in Progressive MS Study, But Little More A multimedia smartphone application designed to precisely inform about exercise and track physical activity ledĀ primary or secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) patients to be more active ā but no more than a comparison patient group given only a…
May 18, 2020 News by Marisa Wexler, MS National MS Society Expert Panel Offers Guidelines for Regular Exercise Healthcare providers should encourage everyone with multiple sclerosis (MS) to engage in regular exercise and keep physically active, new guidelines based on an expert panel convened by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society recommend. They also suggest different types of exercise applicable to people at varying levels of disability.
December 13, 2019 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Sitting Less, Walking More May Be Feasible Way to Healthier Life with MS, Study Suggests Small changes in daily activities, like sitting less and walking more, may be healthful for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) without the challenges of formal exercise. A new study,Ā “Management of multiple sclerosis symptoms through reductions in sedentary behaviour: protocol for a feasibility study,” published inĀ BMJ…
October 25, 2019 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Higher Intellectual Ability, Early-life Physical Activity May Protect Against Cognitive Impairment in MS, Study Suggests Higher intellectual ability and physical activity during childhood and adolescence may help protect against the development of cognitive impairment in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), an Italian study suggests. These findings, though preliminary, suggest that intellectual enrichment and early-life physical activity may reduce the likelihood of developing cognitive deficits…
August 28, 2019 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD MS Fatigue Linked to 3 Different Patterns of Physical Activity, Study Finds The relationship between fatigue and patterns of physical activity in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) is not straightforward. New findings show that, among MS patients with similar fatigue levels, there are three different types ā or “clusters” ā of physical behavior. Clinicians should be aware of these behavioral…
August 23, 2018 News by Catarina Silva MS Patients Speak of Importance of Exercise and Activity to Overall Sense of Well-Being in UK Study People with multiple sclerosis (MS) value exercise and physical activity far beyond the concept of “staying fit,” and consider exercise essential to maintaining a reasonable level of independence and being able to engage in social activities, a small U.K. study based on interviews reports.Ā The study, ā…
May 29, 2018 News by Iqra Mumal, MSc MS Patients Generally Able to Maintain Healthy Lifestyle Changes, Study Shows In general, multiple sclerosis (MS) patients are able to make and sustainĀ healthy lifestyle changes associated with a better quality of life, a study shows. The study, āHealth outcomes and adherence to a healthy lifestyle after a multimodal intervention in people with multiple sclerosis: Three year follow-up,ā…
November 15, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Physical Exercise Using Nintendo Wii May Improve Balance and Gait in MS Patients, Study Says A physiotherapist-supported exercise program using Nintendo Wii may be a feasible and cost-effective way of helping Ā people with multiple sclerosis (MS) be more physically active, researchers reported after performing a small pilot study. While findings showed some evidence that people improved āĀ both in terms of self-reported health, gait and balance measurements ā researchers underscored that more data needs to be gathered on the interventionās effectiveness, as the study mainly intended to determine if such a program was feasible. Researchers at the Bournemouth University and Poole Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, both in the U.K., argued that a physical activity intervention using active gaming at home may overcome the many challenges MS patients face when attempting to be active. Barriers to it could be physical, but psychological factors, such as fear, embarrassment, or lack of confidence, can also prevent patients from attempting to increase their activity levels. Moreover, practical aspects ā such as transport and cost ā can hinder people from joining interventions. In the report,Ā āMii-vitaliSe: a pilot randomised controlled trial of a home gaming system (Nintendo Wii) to increase activity levels, vitality and well-being in people with multiple sclerosis,ā researchers explained they used data generated in earlier Nintendo Wii studies to design an improved intervention program. Earlier studies showed that behavior change techniques, including motivational interviews and problem solving, would likely improve the impact of an intervention. These early studies also highlighted the importance of considering the functional levels, environment, and preferences of individual patients when prescribing a Wii-based program. The study (ISRCTN49286846), described in the journal BMJ Open, shows that among the 30 people who signed up, only two dropped out because of medical reasons. Patients either received the 12-month intervention, called Mii-vitaliSe, directly or after a six-month waiting period. Those on the waiting list group were given six months of intervention. Patients, who had low levels of physical activity when the study began, were instructed as to the benefits of physical activity and on how to use the Wii. During the personalized intervention, participants had access to regular support from a physiotherapist and were provided with a personal activity workbook, which aided participants in setting goals and monitoring progress, among other things. They were also asked to keep a log to track their activity, which showed an average use of the Wii two times per week, for 27āminutes each day. Results showed that patients who started the intervention immediately tended to report better physical activity levels, and better physical and psychological well-being. They also had numerical improvements in gait and balance. While no severe adverse reactions were seen, participants reported pain and worsening of scar tissue after some exercises, for which they received follow-up advice and care. The team also identified several problems or difficulties, including wrongly completed questionnaires, that will allow them to improve measurements once they launch a larger study. "Our study is the first to report on home-based use of the Wii for people with MS in the UK. Overall, findings from this study are promising and support proceeding to a full-scale trial of effectiveness and cost-effectiveness. We will refine the trial design, aspects of the intervention and finalize outcome measures in the light of our experiences from this pilot study" the researchers wrote.
May 30, 2017 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD #CMSC17 – Physical Activity Halts Depression in Young MS Patients, Canadian Study Shows Young multiple sclerosis (MS) patients who engage in physical activity can relieveĀ symptoms of depression, concludes a Canadian study supported by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Researchers presented theirĀ study, āLongitudinal Relationships Between Moderate and Vigorous Physical Activity, Fatigue, and Depression in Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis,ā at theĀ 2017 Annual Meeting of the…
March 13, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Muscle Health Test Shows Importance of Exercise in Multiple Sclerosis A new test can show how exercise is benefiting people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurological conditions. The evaluation of muscle health inĀ individuals with MS, spinal cord injuries and other severe nerve damage conditions is usually done with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and other expensive equipment. Researchers in the…
January 3, 2017 News by Joana Fernandes, PhD Inactivity and Poor Diet Are Common Risk Factors Among MS Patients, Study Says Lack of physical activity and a poor diet may be the most common risk factors for poor health and survival in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a study. The research, āIndividual And Co-Occurring SNAP Risk Factors,ā was published in theĀ International Journal of MS Care. The development…
October 3, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Lifelong Exercise Doesn’t Lower the Risk of Multiple Sclerosis, Large Study in Women Reports In a large prospective study with validated measures of physical activity, researchers found no evidence that exerciseĀ reduced a womanās risk of developingĀ multiple sclerosis (MS). Although physical activity is known to haveĀ numerous health benefits, it seems unlikely toĀ protect a person against the likelihoodĀ of developing MS, the study concludes. The study, published…
September 16, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD #ECTRIMS2016 – MS Patients’ Perceptions of Exercise Key to Their Participation Interventions that aim to improve multiple sclerosis (MS) patients’ participation in physical activities need to take into account psychosocial constructs, such as their belief in theirĀ abilities and their expectations as to outcomes, in order to succeed. TheĀ finding, presented at the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS)…
June 7, 2016 News by InĆŖs Martins, PhD #CMSC16 – Home DVD-Guided Exercise May Help Older MS Patients Improve Physical Function, Quality of Life Positive results from a home-based exercise intervention designed to target flexibility, toning, and balance for older adults with multiple sclerosis (MS), suggests that exercise is important forĀ improving Ā patient quality of life. TheĀ study, “A Qualitative Study of a Home-Based DVD Exercise Intervention in Older Adults with Multiple Sclerosis,” was…
February 16, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD MS Trial to Improve Physical Activity, Lower Fatigue via Telehealth Is Enrolling Participants A new Ā multiple sclerosis (MS)Ā clinical trial being led byĀ Case Western Reserve UniversityĀ investigatorsĀ is now recruiting 215 individuals, across 10 U.S.Ā states to assess whether the fatigue management and physical activity interventions often provided by rehabilitation centers can effectivelyĀ be offered byĀ telehealth, throughĀ a series of teleconferences and phone interviews. AnĀ National MS…
July 15, 2015 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Study Finds Physical Activity and Exercise Have Considerable Health Benefits for MS Patients In a recent study published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences, a team of researchers from Germany identifiedĀ an association between increasedĀ physical activity and improvedĀ mental health in patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Based on the results, the researchers believe that physical activity and exercise have considerable health…
February 18, 2015 News by admin Multiple Sclerosis Study Explores Walking, Cycling, Yoga Effects on Cognition A new study suggests that different types of physical activity might help the mental processes of people with multiple sclerosis. The research comes from the University of Illinois and the State University of New York at Buffalo, and appeared in the February 6th issue of the…