Low-Load Blood Flow Restriction on Patients With Multiple Sclerosis

University of Central Florida

Status: Completed

Conditions: Multiple Sclerosis; Blood Flow Restriction; Training Study

Treatments: Other: Blood Flow Restriction; Other: Standard of Care

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT05177952

STUDY00003396: BFR MS

Details and patient eligibility

About

This research is being done to compare the current standard of care for strength training for patients with Multiple Sclerosis to lightweight resistance training with blood flow restriction.

Full description

The purpose of this study is to compare the effectiveness of the current Multiple Sclerosis standard of care exercise recommendations to low-load resistance training with blood flow restriction on functional outcomes, strength, muscle size, and neuromuscular control in Multiple Sclerosis patients. This study involves completing 2 training sessions per week for 12 weeks as well as pre- and post-training assessment visits for a total of 29 visits over 14 weeks. All visits will be on UCF's campus with a member of the research team.

Enrollment: 20 patients

Sex: Female

Ages: 18 to 55 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Females between the ages of 18 to 55
• Diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis
• Expanded Disability Status Score of 0 to 6.5
• Able to walk 10 meters without assistance
• Are willing to come in for all 29 testing visits over 14 weeks

Exclusion criteria

• No other known cardiovascular, pulmonary, metabolic, muscular, and/or coronary heart disease
• Multiple Sclerosis relapse in the past 30 days
• Are not currently undergoing a rehabilitation protocol
• Are not currently seeking medical care for a chronic condition that could limit exercise capacity other than multiple sclerosis
• Are not currently pregnant

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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20 participants in 2 patient groups

Blood Flow Restriction

Experimental group

Description:

The BFR group will complete 1 set of 30 (1 x 30) at 30% of their 1 repetition maximum for leg press, leg extension, leg curl, chest press, seated row, and shoulder press completed on exercise machines with 2 minutes between exercises.

Treatment:

Other: Blood Flow Restriction

Standard of Care

Active Comparator group

Description:

The standard of care group will complete 1 set of 8-12 repetitions at 60-80% of their 1 repetition maximum for leg press, leg extension, leg curl, chest press, seated row, and shoulder press completed on exercise machines with 2 minutes between exercises.

Treatment:

Other: Standard of Care