A comparative study of the effects of yoga and clinical Pilates training on walking, cognition, respiratory functions, and quality of life in persons with multiple sclerosis: A quasi-experimental study

Effect of individual physiotherapy and telerehabilitation on back pain and quality of life in people with multiple sclerosis with mild and moderate disability

BACKGROUND

Back pain is a common but often underestimated symptom of patients with MS that can negatively influence their quality of life. However there are only limited number of studies comparing the effect of different types of exercise and use of telerehabilitation on back pain in MS. Therefore, the aim of the study is to compare whether telerehabilitation alone is as effective as conventional outpatient physiotherapy followed by online exercise.

METHODS

This single-centre intervention study compared the impact of different individual outpatient physiotherapy treatments (Group 1 - individual Pilates exercise or Group 2 - strength training) and telerehabilitation alone (individual Pilates exercise with a physiotherapist online). The primary objective was to compare the effect of interventions on back pain (assessed using the Visual Analogue Scale and McGill Pain Questionnaire) and quality of life (Multiple Sclerosis Quality of Life-54). Secondary aims were to compare effect of interventions on spine and thorax mobility, functional mobility (assessed using the Timed 25 foot walk test, Six Spot Step test), respiratory muscle strenght and patient reported outcomes (assessed using he Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Fatigue Severity Scale).

RESULTS

45 people with MS were enrolled in the study (3 men, age:48.4± SD 11,5, Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS): 3.3±SD 1,1) and 36 people completed the entire exercise program. All types of exercise intervention showed a positive effect on the reduction of back pain, quality of life and fatigue. The interventions also increased respiratory muscle strength and increased thorax mobility, but we did not find any effect of interventions on gait tests. There were no difference in effect on outcome measures between different types of exercise interventions.

CONCLUSION

Telerehabilitation, involving individual exercise sessions with a physiotherapist, has a comparable effect on reducing back pain, improving quality of life, and enhancing respiratory muscle strength in people with MS as individual Pilates or strength training.

Resistance training improves functional capacities in women with multiple sclerosis: a randomized control trial

PURPOSE

This study aimed to investigate the effects of 12 weeks of resistance exercise training (RT) on oxidative status, muscle strength, functional capacity, quality of life (QoL), and fatigue in women with Multiple Sclerosis (MS).

METHODS

In this randomized control trial (ethical code: SSRI.REC-1402-101; IRCT registration code: IRCT20120912010824N3, 07.09.2023), Iran) twenty-five women with relapsing- remitting MS (aged 18-45 years and expanded disability status scale (EDSS) ≤ 4) were randomly divided in two groups MS without resistance exercise (MS + non-RT; n = 13) and with RT (12 weeks/3 times per week/ 60-80% of 1RM) (MS + RT; n = 12). "Informed" consent was obtained from all participants. Then, fifteen healthy aged-matched women participated as a control group (HCON; n = 15). Blood serum levels of oxidative stress [malondialdehyde (MDA)] and antioxidant capacity [superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity] were obtained pre and post intervention. In addition, muscle strength by 5-RM test, functional capacity (for lower limb T25FWT, 2MWT, and 5STS tests and for Upper limb Manual dexterity of both hands with the (9-HPT) test and MSWS-12 questionnaire were also assessed over the same period. Also, Quality of life and fatigue were assessed pre- and post- intervention with by 31-MusiQoL questionnaire and FSMC questionnaire.

RESULTS

RT led to improvements in muscle strength for leg extension, lying leg curl, bench press movements (P < 0.001, P < 0.001, P < 0.001, respectively). Moreover, compared with the MS + non-RT group, RT demonstrated increased functional capacity (Timed 25 ft Walk Test, Two-Minute Walk Test, 5-Time Sit-To-Stand Test, Twelve Item MS Walking Scale (P < 0.001, P < 0.001, P < 0.001, P < 0.001, respectively). Dexterity of the left hand but not the right hand also improved (P < 0.01, P = 0.057, respectively). Improvements were also found for fatigue and QoL (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). However, the mean changes of MDA, SOD and GPx noted in RT group were not statistically significant (P˃0.05, P˃0.05, P˃0.05, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

RT has positive effects on muscle strength, functional capacity, and quality of life while reducing fatigue in this population. However, markers of oxidative stress were not affected. When we consider the clear role in MS pathogenesis and progression, antioxidant increases in relation to a reduction in pro-oxidant capacity would have provided a positive and important clinical development for people with MS.

Do proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation techniques improve respiratory parameters and swallowing in people with multiple sclerosis: A randomized-controlled study

AIM

This study aims to investigate the effects of Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) techniques on respiratory parameters, swallowing, functional capacity, fatigue, and quality of life in people with Multiple Sclerosis (PwMS).

METHOD

Thirty-four PwMS were included and randomized into the PNF Group (mean age: 43.23±10.55/years) or Control Group (mean age:38.47±8.18/years). In the PNF group, head-neck, upper extremity, trunk, and breathing techniques were applied three days/eight weeks. The control group continued home-based breathing exercises. Forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), FEV1/FVC, peak expiratory flow (PEF), forced expiratory flow 25-75 % (%FEF 25-75), peak cough flow (PCF), maximal inspiratory (MIP) and expiratory pressures (MEP) were and two minutes walking test (2MWT) were measured. Dysphagia in Multiple Sclerosis (DYMUS), Eating Assessment Tool (EAT-10), Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) and Multiple Sclerosis Quality of Life (MusiQoL) were questioned.

RESULTS

After treatment, MIP, MEP,%FEV1/FVCpred,%PEFpred,%FEF 25-75pred, PCF, DYMUS, EAT-10, FSS, and MUSIQoL were improved in the PNF group while MIP, MEP, PCF, DYMUS, EAT-10, MUSIQoL, and 2 MWT were improved in the control group (p < 0.05 for all). In the between-group analysis of the mean differences, the%FEV1pred was significantly different in favor of the PNF Group (p = 0.011), and MIP was significantly different in favor of the Control Group (p = 0.013).

DISCUSSION

The PNF techniques can improve respiratory muscle strength, respiratory functions, cough efficiency, swallowing functions, and quality of life in mild to moderate PwMS. However, these improvements were not superior except for%FEV1pred compared to home-based breathing exercises.

Effects of tele-exercise training on physical and mental health and quality of life in multiple sclerosis: Do the effects differ by modality and clinical disease course?

INTRODUCTION

Tele-exercise training has improved mental and physical health and quality of life (QOL) in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS), but there is little known about the comparability of effects across modalities and clinical disease courses.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effect of tele-Pilates and tele-yoga training on physical and mental factors and QOL in PwMS, with a focus on two phenotype classifications - relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) and secondary progressive MS (SPMS).

METHODS

Eighty-two persons with RRMS (n = 48) and SPMS (n = 34) were randomly assigned into tele-Pilates (n = 29), tele-yoga (n = 26), or control (n = 27). The tele-exercis training was conducted three times per week for eight weeks.

RESULTS

Significant time × group interactions were observed for QoL (p = 0.01), physical activity levels (p < 0.001), mental health (p = 0.05), and a decline in depression (p = 0.002) following tele-Pilates and tele-yoga. The corresponding subfactors, including pain, energy, emotional well-being, and role limitation due to emotional and physical problems, have shown significant improvements after interventions compared with control (all p < 0.05). The effects of exercise over control did not depend on MS phenotype (all p > 0.05).

DISCUSSION

Tele-yoga and tele-Pilates exercises improved QoL and mental and physical health in PwMS, and the benefits were similar across both MS phenotypes. These findings highlight the potential of implementing tele-yoga and tele-Pilates as non-pharmacological mind-body symptomatic treatments for individuals with both RRMS and SPMS.

High-intensity walking in midlife is associated with improved memory in physically capable older adults

BACKGROUND

Little is known about the associations of midlife- and late life-initiated walking with Alzheimer's disease (AD)-related cognitive decline in humans. We aimed to investigate whether high-intensity, prolonged, midlife-initiated walking is associated with changes in AD-related cognitive decline in physically capable older adults.

METHODS

We studied 188 physically capable participants aged 65-90 years without dementia who underwent comprehensive clinical assessment, including of their walking modality (i.e., intensity, duration, midlife- or late life-onset), memory- or non-memory and total cognitive performance, and blood or nutritional biomarkers.

RESULTS

The walking group showed better episodic memory (B = 2.852, SE = 1.214, β = 0.144, p = 0.020), but not non-memory cognition, than the non-walking group. High-intensity walking starting in midlife was significantly associated with better episodic memory (B = 9.360, SE = 3.314, β = 0.446, p = 0.005) compared to the non-walking group. In contrast, there were no differences in cognition according to walking duration, regardless of the onset time. The walking group also showed a similar association with overall cognition.

CONCLUSIONS

Among physically capable older adults without dementia, walking, particularly at high intensity and starting in midlife, is associated with improved episodic memory, an AD-related cognitive domain. Further attention should be paid to the role of walking in terms of AD prevention.

Association between physical activity and episodic memory and the moderating effects of the apolipoprotein E ε4 allele and age

Background

An abundance of evidence indicates that physical activity may protect against Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related cognitive decline. However, little is known about the association between physical activity and AD-related cognitive decline according to age and the apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 allele (APOE4) as major risk factors. Therefore, we examined whether age and APOE4 status modulate the effects of physical activity on episodic memory as AD-related cognition in non-demented older adults.

Methods

We enrolled 196 adults aged between 65 and 90 years, with no dementia. All participants underwent comprehensive clinical assessments including physical activity evaluation and APOE genotyping. The AD-related cognitive domain was assessed by the episodic memory, as the earliest cognitive change in AD, and non-memory cognition for comparative purposes. Overall cognition was assessed by the total score (TS) of the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease neuropsychological battery.

Results

We found significant physical activity × age and physical activity × APOE4 interaction effects on episodic memory. Subgroup analyses indicated that an association between physical activity and increased episodic memory was apparent only in subjects aged > 70 years, and in APOE4-positive subjects.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that physical activity has beneficial effects on episodic memory, as an AD-related cognitive domain, in individuals aged > 70 years and in APOE4-positive individuals. Physicians should take age and APOE4 status account into when recommending physical activity to prevent AD-related cognitive decline.

Respiratory issues in patients with multiple sclerosis as a risk factor during SARS-CoV-2 infection: a potential role for exercise

Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) is associated with cytokine storm and is characterized by acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and pneumonia problems. The respiratory system is a place of inappropriate activation of the immune system in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), and this may cause damage to the lung and worsen both MS and infections.The concerns for patients with multiple sclerosis are because of an enhance risk of infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The MS patients pose challenges in this pandemic situation, because of the regulatory defect of autoreactivity of the immune system and neurological and respiratory tract symptoms. In this review, we first indicate respiratory issues associated with both diseases. Then, the main mechanisms inducing lung damages and also impairing the respiratory muscles in individuals with both diseases is discussed. At the end, the leading role of physical exercise on mitigating respiratory issues inducing mechanisms is meticulously evaluated.

Effects of Tele-Pilates and Tele-Yoga on Biochemicals, Physical, and Psychological Parameters of Females with Multiple Sclerosis

BACKGROUND

People with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) suffer from some comorbidities, including physical and psychiatric disorders, low quality of life (QoL), hormonal dysregulation, and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis dysfunction. The current study aimed to investigate the effects of eight weeks of tele-yoga and tele-Pilates on the serum levels of prolactin and cortisol and selected physical and psychological factors.

METHODS

Forty-five females with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis, based on age (18-65), expanded disability status scale (0-5.5), and body mass index (20-32), were randomly assigned to tele-Pilates, tele-yoga, or control groups (n = 15). Serum blood samples and validated questionnaires were collected before and after interventions.

RESULTS

Following online interventions, there was a significant increase in the serum levels of prolactin (p = 0.004) and a significant decrease in cortisol (p = 0.04) in the time × group interaction factors. In addition, significant improvements were observed in depression (p = 0.001), physical activity levels (p < 0.001), QoL (p ≤ 0.001), and the speed of walking (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest that tele-yoga and tele-Pilates training could be introduced as patient-friendly, non-pharmacological, add-on therapeutic methods for increasing prolactin and decreasing cortisol serum levels and achieving clinically relevant improvements in depression, walking speed, physical activity level, and QoL in female MS patients.

Participant characteristics of existing exercise studies in persons with multiple sclerosis - A systematic review identifying literature gaps

BACKGROUND

Exercise is a cornerstone in rehabilitation of persons with multiple sclerosis (pwMS), which is known to elicit beneficial effects on various symptoms and to have a potential disease-modifying effect. However, it remains to be elucidated if the existing MS exercise literature covers the full age and disability span of pwMS.

OBJECTIVE

To systematically review MS exercise studies and provide a detailed mapping of the demographic and clinical characteristics of the included pwMS.

METHODS

A systematic review of MS exercise studies were performed using MEDLINE and EMBASE. From the resulting MS exercise studies, mean sample characteristics were extracted.

RESULTS

4576 records were identified, from which 202 studies were included. Of these, 166 studies (82.2%) enrolled pwMS aged 35-54 years, 10.9% enrolled pwMS <35 years, and 6.9% enrolled pwMS ≥55 years (only 1.5% enrolled pwMS ≥60 years). A total of 118 studies (58.4%) reported Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), with 88.1% of included pwMS having an EDSS between 2.0 and 6.5, while only one study enrolled pwMS with an EDSS ≥7.0. Finally, 80% of the studies included pwMS having a disease duration of 5-14.5 years.

CONCLUSION

Exercise studies in pwMS included primarily middle-aged (35-54 years) pwMS having an EDSS of 2.0-6.5 and a disease duration of 5-14.5 years. Few exercise studies were identified in young and older pwMS, in pwMS with mild disability and severe disability, and in pwMS having shorter or longer disease durations. These findings highlight the need for further investigation of exercise in these specific subgroups of pwMS as benefits of exercise might not generalize across subpopulations.

Pilates and Cognitive Stimulation in Dual Task an Intervention Protocol to Improve Functional Abilities and Minimize the Rate of Age-Related Cognitive Decline in Postmenopausal Women

It is already known the effectiveness of Pilates training on cognitive and functional abilities. It is also known that dual-task exercise and cognitive stimuli improve cognition and functional capacity. However, no previous report combined cognitive stimuli and Pilates in dual task and measured its effects on the cognitive and physical performances of postmenopausal women.

OBJECTIVE

To apply an interventional dual-task (PILATES-COG) protocol and to evaluate its influence on memory, language, and functional physical performances on healthy, community-dwelling postmenopausal older women.

METHODS

47 women with amenorrhea for at least 12 months participated in this study. Those allocated on the PILATES-COG group underwent a 12-week, twice a week regimen of 50 min sessions of simultaneous mat Pilates exercise program and cognitive tasks. Cognitive and physical functional performance were assessed. Two-way mixed ANOVA was used for data analysis, and Bonferroni post hoc tests were used for within- and between-group comparisons.

RESULTS

The PILATES-COG group showed significant improvement after the intervention in semantic verbal fluency (p < 0.001; ηρ² = 0.268), phonological verbal fluency (p < 0.019; ηρ² = 0.143), immediate memory (p < 0.001; ηρ² = 0.258), evocation memory (p < 0.001 ηρ² = 0.282), lower-limb muscle strength (p < 0.001; ηρ² = 0.447), balance (p < 0.001; ηρ² = 0.398), and dual-ask cost (p < 0.05; ηρ² = 0.111) assessments on healthy, community-dwelling postmenopausal older women.

CONCLUSION

This is the first report of a feasible and effective approach using Pilates and cognitive stimulation in dual task for the reduction of age-related cognitive decline and the improvement of physical functional performance in healthy postmenopausal women.

Effect of Pilates on Glucose and Lipids: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Objective: The benefits of Pilates for blood glucose and lipids remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of Pilates on their levels.

Methods: Searches were conducted in five databases to identify relevant articles published until October 29, 2020. Paired reviewers independently screened the articles and extracted data from each included study. Meta-analysis was performed to assess the effects of Pilates on blood glucose and lipids. Subgroup analyses and sensitivity analyses were conducted to explore heterogeneity.

Results: According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 15 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comprising 587 participants were included in the study. Overall, the Pilates group (PG) had a significantly greater reduction in post-prandial blood glucose than the control group (CG) (MD = −22.25 mg/dL, 95% CI: [−28.34, 16.17] mg/dL, P < 0.00001, I² = 0%); glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) (MD = −0.78%, 95% CI: [−1.13, −0.42]%, P < 0.0001, I² = 88%); total cholesterol (TC) (MD = −20.90 mg/dL, 95% CI: [−37.21, −4.60] mg/dL, P = 0.01, I² = 84%); triglycerides (TG) (MD = −12.59 mg/dL, 95% CI: [−19.88, −5.29] mg/dL, P = 0.0007, I² = 86%); and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (MD = −12.39 mg/dL, 95% CI: [−16.82, −7.95] mg/dL, P < 0.00001, I² = 45%) compared to CG, whereas no significant difference was detected between the two groups in fasting blood glucose (MD = −7.04 mg/dL, 95% CI: [−17.26, 3.17] mg/dL, P = 0.18, I² = 93%), insulin (MD = −1.44 μU/mL, 95% CI: [−4.30, 1.41] μU/mL, P = 0.32, I² = 0%); and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (MD = −2.68 mg/dL, 95% CI: [−9.03, 3.67] mg/dL, P = 0.41, I² = 89%). However, by subgroup analysis, we found that compared to the CG, PG showed no significant improvement in blood glucose and lipids levels for non-diabetics, while it presented a significantly greater decrease in post-prandial blood glucose, TC, TG, and LDL-C for diabetic patients. Notably, for diabetic patients, Pilates and medication treatments showed no significant reduction in fasting blood glucose (MD = −7.00 mg/dL, 95% CI: [−26.06, 12.06] mg/dL, P = 0.40) and HbA1c (MD = −0.23%, 95% CI: [−0.58, 0.13]%, P = 0.21, I² = 0%) than medications treatment used alone, and Pilates combined with medications and dietary treatments presented no significant improvement in fasting blood glucose than a combination of medications and dietary treatments (MD = −10.90 mg/dL, 95% CI: [−32.35, 10.54] mg/dL, P = 0.32, I² = 94%).

Conclusions: Overall, Pilates could improve post-prandial blood glucose, fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, TG, TC, and LDL-C for diabetic patients, which could be influenced by its duration and intensity. Moreover, it had no significant effect on blood glucose and lipids for non-diabetic individuals. However, Pilates, as an adjunctive treatment to medications was not superior to medications used alone in lowering fasting blood glucose and HbA1c. Furthermore, Pilates combined with medications and dietary treatments showed no significant improvement in fasting blood glucose, whereas it had a greater reduction in post-prandial blood glucose and HbA1c for diabetic patients.

Systematic Review Registration:https://osf.io/xgv6w.