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

Mehdi Kargarfard; Ardalan Shariat; Lee Ingle; Joshua A Cleland; Mina Kargarfard

doi:10.1016/j.apmr.2017.06.015

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

Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2018 Feb;99(2):234-241. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2017.06.015. Epub 2017 Jul 20.

Authors

Mehdi Kargarfard¹, Ardalan Shariat², Lee Ingle³, Joshua A Cleland⁴, Mina Kargarfard⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran. Electronic address: m.kargarfard@spr.ui.ac.ir.
² Department of Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran; Sports Medicine Research Center, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
³ Sport, Health & Exercise Science, University of Hull, Kingston-upon-Hull, United Kingdom.
⁴ Franklin Pierce University, Manchester, NH.
⁵ School of Dentistry, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.

PMID: 28735720
DOI: 10.1016/j.apmr.2017.06.015

Abstract

Objective: To assess the effects of an 8-week aquatic exercise training program on functional capacity, balance, and perceptions of fatigue in women with multiple sclerosis (MS).

Design: Randomized controlled design.

Setting: Referral center of an MS society.

Participants: Women (N=32; mean age ± SD, 36.4±8.2y) with diagnosed relapsing-remitting MS. After undergoing baseline testing by a neurologist, participants were allocated to either an intervention (aquatic training program, n=17) or a control group (n=15).

Interventions: The intervention consisted of an 8-week aquatic training program (3 supervised training sessions per week; session duration, 45-60min; 50%-75% estimated maximum heart rate).

Main outcome measures: Six-minute walk test (6-MWT), balance (Berg Balance Scale [BBS]), and perceptions of fatigue (Modified Fatigue Impact Scale; [MFIS]) at baseline and after the 8-week intervention. Differences over time between the experimental and control groups were assessed by a 2×2 (group by time) repeated-measures analysis of variance.

Results: Thirty-two women completed the 8-week aquatic training intervention (experimental group, n=17; control group, n=15). All outcome measures improved in the experimental group: 6-MWT performance (pretest mean ± SD, 451±58m; posttest mean ± SD, 503±57m; P<.001); BBS (pretest mean ± SD, 53.59±1.70; posttest mean ± SD, 55.18±1.18; P<.001), and MFIS (pretest mean ± SD, 43.1±14.6; posttest mean ± SD, 32.8±5.9; P<.01). A significant group-by-time interaction was evident between the experimental and control groups for 6-MWT (P<.001, partial eta² [η_p²]=.551), BBS (P<.001, η_p²=.423), and MFIS (P<.001, η_p²=.679).

Conclusions: Aquatic exercise training improved functional capacity, balance, and perceptions of fatigue in women with MS.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02882724.

Keywords: Exercise; Fatigue; Multiple sclerosis; Rehabilitation.

Publication types

Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

Adult
Disability Evaluation
Exercise Therapy / methods*
Fatigue / physiopathology*
Female
Humans
Hydrotherapy / methods*
Multiple Sclerosis / physiopathology*
Multiple Sclerosis / rehabilitation*
Postural Balance / physiology*
Treatment Outcome

Associated data

ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT02882724