"Outwalk MS" - Benefits of Outdoor Walking in Multiple Sclerosis

University of Aarhus

Status: Completed

Conditions: Multiple Sclerosis

Treatments: Behavioral: Walking exercise therapy

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT05415956

Outwalk_MS

Details and patient eligibility

About

Deterioration of walking capacity is a common symptom in persons with multiple sclerosis (pwMS), furthermore having a negative influence on well-being. Studies have nevertheless shown that walking exercise therapy can improve walking capacity in pwMS. This may be particularly potent if occurring outdoors due to the varying stimuli it can provide (different surfaces and terrain etc.), and if the intensity and duration is adequate. Furthermore, outdoor walking is (1) suitable as a group intervention facilitating interaction between pwMS and (2) advantageous due to the health benefits offered through the interaction with nature itself. Both these aspects are also relevant for well-being.

Few studies have nevertheless examined the effects of outdoor walking exercise therapy in pwMS. The purpose of the present study is therefore to examine the effects of 7 weeks of moderate-to-high intensity outdoor walking exercise therapy on walking capacity (primary outcome: 6-minute walk test) and well-being in pwMS.

Enrollment: 60 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• ≥ 18 years
• self-reported clinical MS diagnosis
• PDDS ≤ 4 (corresponding to preserved walking capacity without assistive devices of at least 10 m)
• able to independently attend the testing

Exclusion criteria

• self-reported comorbidities excluding participation in the intervention
• recent (6 months retrospective) fractures, amputation or other critical physical impairments that eliminates participation in the described training study
• participation in structured exercise therapy (including walking) for the past 3 months (≥ 2 session per week of moderate-to-high intensity)

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

---

60 participants in 2 patient groups

Walking exercise therapy

Experimental group

Description:

7 week intervention group. 6-12 persons per group. 2 sessions per week, 14 sessions in total. Surface: the investigators aim to involve as much forest/gravel trails as possible, with up/down hill walking. Uneven session numbers: warm-up (6 minutes at BORG 10-11), continous walking (starting at 12-20 minutes at BORG 13-14 and progressing to 20-40 minutes at BORG 15-16, adjusted according to the starting level of each participant) and cool-down (approximately 10 minutes at BORG 10-11). Even session numbers: warm-up (6 minutes at BORG 10-11), intermittent walking (starting at 3-4 intervals of 2 minutes at BORG 14-15 and progressing to 4-5 intervals of 2-3 minutes at BORG 16-17; with all intervals being interspersed by 1 minute rest) and cool-down (approximately 10 minutes at BORG 10-11).

Treatment:

Behavioral: Walking exercise therapy

Control/Waitlist

No Intervention group

Description:

7 week control/waitlist group. Continuation of habitual lifestyle during the 7 week intervention period (yet these participants will receive the exact walking exercise therapy afterwards).