Highlights
- •Sedentary behavior and low physical activity levels are highly present in pwMS.
- •Personalized mobile applications as support for physical activity in pwMS are needed.
- •WalkWithMe application motivates patients to physical activity.
- •WalkWihMe application also shows a positive effect other symptoms in pwMS.
- •Further studies about this application in a larger sample size are necessary.
Abstract
Background
People with Multiple Sclerosis (pwMS) show diverse symptoms, such as fatigue and decline
in motor and cognitive function. Physical activity shows to have a positive impact
on many of these symptoms. However, many pwMS lead sedentary lives. Objectives of
this study were to evaluate the feasibility of prolonged use of the WalkWithMe, a
personalized mobile application that supports pwMS in walking at home, and its effect
on physical activity, walking, fatigue and cognition in persons with MS.
Methods
Nineteen pwMS were enrolled in a 10-week home-based intervention with the WalkWithMe
application after setting personal goals based on baseline testing values, where twelve
patients completed the program. Before and after the intervention, motor (6MWT, T25FW,
5-STS, NHPT) and cognitive function (PASAT and SDMT) were evaluated, together with
the patient reported impact on walking, physical activity, quality of life and fatigue
by MSWS-12, IPAQ, SF-36, MSIS-29, MFIS and FSS, respectively.
Results
Significant improvement was seen for some parts of self-reported physical activity
and quality of life (IPAQ: walking, p = 0.04, leisure, p = 0.02; SF-36: physical functioning, p = 0.02), cognition (SDMT, p = 0.01), cognitive fatigability (PASAT, p = 0.05), lower limb strength (5-STS, p = 0.05) and dominant hand function (NHPT, p = 0.002).
Conclusion
This feasibility study was successful at improving categories of self-reported physical
activity, lower limb functional strength, hand function and cognition, but results
need to be interpreted with caution, given the small and not always clinically relevant
changes. Larger sample sizes in a controlled experimental design are needed to confirm
these results.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: April 17, 2020
Accepted:
March 22,
2020
Received in revised form:
March 16,
2020
Received:
November 19,
2019
Footnotes
Effects of a 10-week community-based program using the WalkWithMe application on physical activity, walking, fatigue and cognition in persons with Multiple Sclerosis
Identification
Copyright
© 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
