What is it about?
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurodegenerative condition influencing the central nervous system,1 35 36 and is the third largest cause of adult neurological disabilities affecting an estimated 2.5 million adults worldwide.2 Approximately 400,000 young people in the US3 37 suffer from the condition, and prevalence rates increase by approximately 10,000 people every year.4 38 In recent years, studies in the 39 Middle East and Iran indicate a relatively high prevalence of MS. In Iran, the average age of developing MS is 27 years, and >40,000 patients suffer from the condition.
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Why is it important?
Hence the novelty of this project is in 73 the population being investigated with mild MS (EDSS <3.5) focusing on outcome measures 74 including functional capacity, balance, and perceptions of fatigue. The location of the study is also 75 important; Isfahan, one of the major cities in Iran, has a dramatically increasing incidence and prevalence of MS which is the highest in Asia and Oceania5 76 . Therefore, the aim of the study was to 77 assess the effects of 8-weeks aquatic exercise training on functional capacity, balance, and 78 perceptions of fatigue in Iranian women with MS. We hypothesized that an 8-week aquatic exercise 79 training program will significantly improve functional capacity, balance, and perceptions of fatigue 80 in women with MS.
Perspectives
In conclusion, regular aquatic exercise training can improve functional capacity, balance, and 303 perceptions of fatigue in women with mild MS. In supervised conditions, the intervention is safe, and, 304 based on our findings, should be investigated further in a larger cohort of patients, and in a wider 305 spectrum of disease progression.
Dr Ardalan Shariat
Tehran University of Medical Sciences
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Randomized Controlled Trial to Examine the Impact of Aquatic Exercise Training on Functional Capacity, Balance, and Perceptions of Fatigue in Female Patients With Multiple Sclerosis, Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, February 2018, Elsevier,
DOI: 10.1016/j.apmr.2017.06.015.
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