A total of 69 participants with progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) and moderate motor disability in the province of Saskatchewan, Canada will be randomly assigned to receive one of three distinct exercise programs. All exercise programs will be delivered three times per week in 60-minute group sessions over the course of 12 weeks under the supervision of Clinical Exercise Physiologists. Exercise programming will include activities focused on mobility, fitness, and flexibility. Assessments of physical function, physical fitness, and central nervous system function will be conducted immediately before, after, and six weeks following completion of the exercise programs.
A growing body of work suggests that regular exercise can support symptom management and improve physical function for people living with progressive multiple sclerosis (MS). However, the best type of exercise to improve physical function and promote positive changes in the central nervous system in people with progressive MS is not well characterized. Here, the investigators have designed a clinical trial that compares the effects of distinct exercise protocols on aspects of physical function, physical fitness, and central nervous system function in people living with progressive MS.