Short-Term and Long-Term Effects of an Exercise-Based Patient Education Programme in People with Multiple Sclerosis: A Pilot Study

Abstract EN

Background.

Although people with Multiple Sclerosis (pwMS) benefit from physical exercise, they still show reduced physical activity and exercise behaviour.

This study aimed to investigate short- and long-term effects of an exercise-based patient education programme (ePEP) that focuses on empowering pwMS to a sustainable and self-regulated exercise training management.

Methods.

Fourteen pwMS were randomly assigned to immediate experimental group (EG-I: n = 8 ) and waitlist-control group (EG-W: n = 6 ) and attended biweekly in a six-week ePEP.

All participants were measured for walking ability, quality of life, fatigue, and self-efficacy towards physical exercise before and after the ePEP, after 12 weeks, and one year after baseline.

Short-term effects were analysed in a randomised control trial and long-term effects of all ePEP participants (EG-I + EG-W = EG-all) in a quasi-experimental design.

Results.

Only functional gait significantly improved in EG-I compared to EG-W ( p = 0.008 , r = - 0.67 ).

Moderate to large effects were found in EG-all for walking ability.

Not significant, however, relevant changes were detected for quality of life and fatigue.

Self-efficacy showed no changes.

Conclusion.

The ePEP seems to be a feasible option to empower pwMS to a self-regulated and sustainable exercise training management shown in long-term walking improvements.