Purpose: The evidence base to support therapeutic exercise for MSers is improving; however few studies have considered the MSers’ perspective. This study aimed to explore the experiences and views of people moderately affected with MS following participation in a 12-week exercise programme.
Method: 20 MSers participated in a group exercise class. Subsequently, four men and ten women took part in one of two focus groups. Semi-structured questions were used to elicit participants’ views on the exercise class, outcomes from exercise and the exercise class and any perceived facilitators or barriers to exercise. Data were analysed using a general inductive method.
Conclusion: Taking part in an exercise class was a positive experience for MSers. Healthcare professionals should work with exercise professionals to provide feasible exercise opportunities to help those with MS benefit from therapeutic exercise.
“Most of the time when it comes to MS services we are simply fighting fires; autsrity measures are making it more difficult. MS utopia would be having the resources to engage all MSers in an active exercise programme. At times I find it hard myself to do regular exercise. What about you?”
I still take offence Gavin.Lots of others do this and you can do much more.Too much content dilutes the good stuff.On the other hand, Hairy Biker puts a smile on my face whenever he loads his posts with jargon (more and more of those encrypted posts. Who is the target readership of those exactly? A geeky Ph.D in Neuroscience with thick glasses a deep research interest in MS?
Yes, please continue posting them. Nobody is forced to read everything. Even if I don't read every post in detail because I find some more interesting than others and some harder to understand than others, it is still comforting for me to be reminded how much research is going on. The "hard" science posts give me hope that you might figure it all out some day, the soft science posts remind me that it is not my fault having certain issues in my life. That I am not alone. That the issues are so important that even research is going on around them and that I am not silly considering them a problem.I started training 1.5 years ago, weight and fitness training at a gym 3 times a week. I often swim too. I use my bike(s) daily. I go for long hikes on my days off. I haven't been as well for years! My fatigue is reduced by about 90%. Then again… I started medication 2 years ago. I guess I will never know which one or if the combination did the trick. I don't care. I have my life back and am enjoying it. Exercising has become one of my top priorities, I have actually started to enjoy it and look forward to it. I consider myself lucky to have a men's job (=well enough paid) so I can afford to work only 4 days a week. I motivate myself by listening to podcasts at the gym. I have taken up geocaching to make the hikes more interesting on the days I am on my own. Oh and I forgot to mention – I even took up juggling! After I read about the positive effects on brain function and MRI in people with… dementia??? I don't remember, some degenerative brain disease. I figured it might be good training for my brain as well and it is so much fun!
I also second Ingrid in that especially excercise (along with diet & medication) is good for MSers. I never was an active person, a fact, which I partly blame for my condition so now I am trying to establish if I get better with excercise – I'd say I am better, more mobile and healthier. I have been searching for videos and articles about this very thing so in my case these posts are valuable.
Ingrid: where do you live?I am looking for a hiking partner…. London, UK
Dear Mr Angry 🙂 Anon 8:42Target Readership: Someone with MS with the interest to read them……..someone who wants World Peace…….and it helps if you have a sense of humour. Good to see I make you laugh:-)We do recommend that our phD students read and contribute to the Blog as it is a(two-way) learning process. However, sometimes your responses frighten then off. They may take offence being called Geekyand:-)As to any sense of the encryption it all make perfect sense to me.Have you seen the film Miss Congeniality…if not..the comment above won't make any true sense, if you have it could be funny…OK maybe not.I am sorry if there is too much jargon. I do try to put links into the terms, but I forget when I have done it loads of times in the past. I forget that some of you are new to the post. This also adds to the time factor of physically doing the posts. Some stuff may go over your head, some if it goes over my head. But different people like different things.However for those who think there is too much jargon please read the post below.http://multiple-sclerosis-research.blogspot.co.uk/2011/12/blog-news-you-no-speak-ingrish.html
P.S. It could be Mrs or Ms Angry if you want to be PC:-)
No one is forcing anyone to read what you post. You are providing a valuable service. And there is no subscription cost. I say keep doing what you are doing. And thank you.
I don't object to anything and anything related to exercise is always welcome. It helps me make more of an effort. All of us including nonMSers need motivation to exercise.As the orhers said nobody is forced to read anything. But if there are posts that nobody reads or only 2 people read then the profs may want to rethink if it's worth their time.
I hate Miss Congeniality…. but I love the Maidens :)Anon 8:42
Just want to say, I go to the gym 3 times a week. Last month, some Asian guy on steroids, bullied me off a machine, saying I was taking too long. I am disabled (crutches) and told him I can't work out too fast. He said he didn't care and that it's not his problem.I was so upset I quit my membership, but I want to go back now. The new gym I'm trying out is too big and has less equipment and too many stairs.As an MSer, I am trying to keep fit but there are people out there who don't like disabled people. It's a form of hatred. I think disabled people remind others that things can go wrong and that can bring out a nasty side.Who knows… I like your posts on exercise Prof G. It's the one form of treatment open to progressive MSers, albeit we have to pay for it and can't get it funded by the NHS.
Hello,I'm an MSer with SPMS, can't walk more than a few hundred meters so Squash, Gym Clubs or Sunday afternoon football are definitely off the agenda.Every day I go out with my rollator and walk down to the shops or try to do a bit of gardening. Coming home I have to walk up a slope, not very steep but to me it seems like the North Face of the Eiger.I'm a firm believer in exercise, I really do miss aerobic exercises and building up a sweat, I just don't have the stamina or energy. Even so I always push myself, it makes me feel better. Sometimes I do have to force myself to get out of the house and yes it would be fantastic to have a suitable gym and/or swimming pool. If you can join a group with everyone at much the same ability level then so much the better. One day…This is all common sense but sometimes you do need people to show how important exercise is especially now that we have cars, taxis etc
FYI – fresh and quite relevant to the previous comment:http://www.gizmag.com/sports-walker-ms-volleyball/22863/
http://www.gizmag.com/sports-walker-ms-volleyball/22863/Hehe, watching the videe again….this guy must be an MS-inflicted Mouse with a lot of drive!