DALLAS—Functional electrical stimulation (FES) cycling may be an effective exercise option in people who have moderate to severe multiple sclerosis (MS), reported Deborah Backus, PhD, and colleagues at the 2014 Cooperative Meeting of CMSC and ACTRIMS.
Her study included 16 people with MS who had an Expanded Disability Status Scale score of greater than 6.5. Subjects trained two to three times per week for about one month (ie, in a total of 12 sessions) on the RT-300 FES cycle, and the intensity of FES was adjusted for each participant’s comfort level. “The goal was to cycle at 40 to 50 rpm for 30 minutes, either actively or with electrical stimulation for assistance,” noted Dr. Backus, who is the Director of MS Research at the Eula C. and Andrew C. Carlos MS Rehabilitation and Wellness Program at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta.
The investigators analyzed data collected immediately before and after the four-week training period using the MS Quality of Life Inventory (MSQLI) subscales, Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS, spasticity), and manual muscle test (MMT, strength). The study authors also collected data from each training session to monitor subjects’ progress on the cycle and any status changes.
Fourteen participants (six females) completed the training. The researchers found that all persons maintained or increased the amount of time that they could cycle, and seven increased the resistance against which they cycled.
“The most important finding is that there were no adverse events, and no increase in any MS-related symptoms,” said Dr. Backus. “Participants demonstrated a significant increase in one measure of cognitive processing speed and a significant decrease in fatigue. There was no significant change in the other subscales of the MSQLI. There was neither a significant increase nor a decrease in MAS and MMT scores.”
The investigators also found that the type of MS and use of antispasticity medications, disease-modifying therapies, or dalfampridine or 4-aminopyridine “did not appear to influence the response to training.”
“Further study is required to examine the parameters of FES cycling that are most effective for people with different constellations of MS symptoms and to fully explore the potential benefits for optimizing function and improving health in people with moderate to severe MS,” Dr. Backus concluded.
—Colby Stong