# Exercise as it relates to Disease/The effects of physical activity for multiple sclerosis patients with fatigue/The effects of physical activity for multiple sclerosis patients with fatigue

The effects of physical activity for multiple sclerosis patens with fatigue

##### 1.What is the background to this research?

They discussed the current treatments and research being done for treating fatigue in multiple sclerosis patients. They included research done with pharmaceuticals as well as physical activity interventions. Fatigue is a very common system of multiple sclerosis with 96% of patients experiencing fatigue. Another method they discuss for helping fatigue is energy conservation which is not seen as being a helpful way to tackle fatigue as it is not designed to help the problem just keep it at bay. There has not been one type of exercise program that has proven to be superior for helping fatigue is multiple sclerosis patients and more research is needed to identify which methods would help best.

##### 2.Where is the research from?

The research was undertaken in brazil. The participants were all from the reference center for multiple sclerosis in the coastal region of the state of Sao Paulo.

##### 3.What did the research involve?

10 people who have multiple sclerosis undergoing an exercise intervention to see the effects of exercise on fatigue. Only 9 participants finished the study. The study received approved from an ethics committee. The study started with the first four weeks of just stretching class for 60 minutes three times a week. Then the next 10 weeks were stretching and light weight repetitive movements. The final 6 weeks involved continuing stretching and light weight but trying to increase number of repetitions and time.

##### 4.What were the basic results?

There was no significant change in body mass index results of body fat percentage. However the exercise did help the patients with fatigue and it encouraged other patients that were not involved in the study to start trying exercise to manage their fatigue symptoms associated with multiple sclerosis. Other patients offered to partake in the study did not because of the fatigue they were suffering they did not feel as though they were able to exercise despite that exercise has been shown to help fatigue.

##### 5.What conclusions can we take from this research?

That exercise can have a positive effect on the physical wellbeing of patients suffering from multiple sclerosis. It is hard to get participants for these kind of studies as they often do not feel well enough to participate in the first place.

##### 6.Practical advice

The research is only done on such a small sample size it is hard to apply this information to a larger scale of people. This study did not have a control group to compare results too as well. Further research needs to be done a much larger sample size to make the data more reliable and able to apply it more practically. There is still not a recommend one type of program that proves best for helping fight fatigue in multiple sclerosis patients.

##### 7.Further information/resources

Fatigue when reported by patients refers to tiredness and feeling exhausted, making them incapable to start or finish tasks/activities they are normally able to do. It is essential that exercise programs are specific to each individual as over exercise could be detrimental. Workload throughout the day should be broken up to ensure enough rest is being had by each individual.
MS Australia research provides easy to understand statics ad facts about the disease ad is an easy to navigate website for looking at research in the area and finding out the general information about multiple sclerosis.
* ↑ Shah A, 2009, Fatigue in Multiple Sclerosis. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics of North America.
* ↑ Charvet L, Serafin D, Krupp L, 2013, Fatigue in multiple sclerosis. Fatigue: Biomedicine, Health & Behavior
* ↑ Comi G, Leocani L, Rossi P, Colombo B., 2001, Physiopathology and treatment of fatigue in multiple sclerosis. Journal of Neurology
* ↑ MS Research Australia, 2018