Participation in and outcomes from a 12-month tailored exercise programme for people with multiple sclerosis (MSTEP©): a randomized trial.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate, among people with multiple sclerosis, the extent to which a personally tailored exercise programme (MSTEP©) resulted in greater improvements in exercise capacity and related outcomes over 12 months in comparison with general exercise guidelines. DESIGN: Two-group randomized trial. SUBJECTS: Ambulatory and sedentary. INTERVENTIONS: MSTEP©, a personally adapted exercise regimen done on most days including two days of high intensity exercise; guidelines recommending 30 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic and strength training two times per week. MAIN MEASURES: Primary outcome was peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak) at 12 months; secondary outcomes were composite measures of physical function, fatigue, and health-related quality of life. RESULTS: In total, 137 people were randomized, 66 were lost over 12 months leaving 71 with outcome data, 34 in MSTEP© group, and 37 in the Guideline group. Exercise enjoyment and confidence and exercise-induced fatigue predicted retention. There were no differences between groups on the proportion making a 10% increase in VO2peak (27.1% MSTEP© vs 29.6% Guidelines; OR: 0.83; 95% CI: 0.23-3.08) by the 12 month assessment. The effect on fatigue was larger in the MSTEP© group than the Guideline groups (OR: 1.59; 95% CI: 0.93-2.74), the effect on physical function was more modest (OR: 1.35; 95% CI: 0.80-2.25), and null for health-related quality of life outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: The disappointing exercise retention suggests that people with multiple sclerosis may not consider exercise important to their brain health. Either type of exercise resulted in stable exercise capacity over 1 year in those sticking with the programme.

Comparison Between Common Performance-Based Tests and Self-Reports of Physical Function in People With Multiple Sclerosis: Does Sex or Gender Matter?

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the extent to which sex or gender differences affect the relations between tests of physical performance and self-reports about function in everyday life activities. Ecological validity is an important psychometric property when choosing tests of physical function, because they need to relate to everyday function. In multiple sclerosis (MS), the EQUI scale, modified Canadian Aerobic Fitness Test, grip strength, vertical jump, push-up, partial curl-up, gait speed (comfortable or fast), 6-minute walk test, and 9-hole peg test are commonly used but the extent to which they relate to everyday function is understudied and the extent to which ecological validity of these tests differ between women and men is unknown. DESIGN: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted on a random sample of men and women recruited for a study on the life effect of MS. Correlations between pairs of performance outcome (PerfO) and self-reported outcome (SRO) items pairs of variables with theoretical coherence were calculated and gender effects identified using linear regression. SETTING: Participants were recruited from MS clinic at Montreal Neurological Hospital. PARTICIPANTS: The sample (N=188) consisted of 140 women and 48 men with MS. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. RESULTS: The mean age ± SD of the participants was 43±10. Sixty PerfO and SRO items yielded 165 theoretically linked pairs separately for women and men. Of these 330 possible pairs, 77 pairs (23%) had correlations ≥0.8, showing strong support for the link between performance tests and everyday function; 203 pairs provided moderate support (r≥0.5). Thirty-one pairs had a statistically significant interaction with gender with men having higher correlations than women (n=27/31). CONCLUSION: The results support the ecological validity for physical performance tests, particularly balance tests and particularly for men. The observation that many indicators of everyday function derived from SROs were related to physical performance supports the routine use of SROs in clinical practice to guide therapy to meet the needs of clients with MS.

Real-Time Auditory Feedback-Induced Adaptation to Walking Among Seniors Using the Heel2Toe Sensor: Proof-of-Concept Study.

BACKGROUND: Evidence shows that gait training in older adults is effective in improving the gait pattern, but the effects abate with cessation of training. During gait training, therapists use a number of verbal and visual cues to place the heel first when stepping. This simple strategy changes posture from stooped to upright, lengthens the stride, stimulates pelvic and trunk rotation, and facilitates arm swing. These principles guided the development of the Heel2Toe sensor that provides real-time auditory feedback for each good step, in which the heel strikes first. OBJECTIVE: This feasibility study aimed (1) to contribute evidence toward the feasibility and efficacy potential for home use of the Heel2Toe sensor that provides real-time feedback and (2) to estimate changes in gait parameters after five training sessions using the sensor. METHODS: A pre-post study included 5 training sessions over 2 weeks in the community on a purposive sample of six seniors. Proportion of good steps, angular velocity (AV) at each step, and cadence over a 2- minute period were assessed as was usability and experience. RESULTS: All gait parameters, proportion of good steps, AV, and duration of walking bouts improved. The coefficient of variation of AV decreased, indicating consistency of stepping. CONCLUSIONS: Efficacy potential and feasibility of the Heel2Toe sensor were demonstrated.