A comprehensive meta-analysis has underscored the significant benefits of physical exercise in improving subjective well-being and health-related quality of life for individuals grappling with multiple sclerosis (MS).
Published in Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders, the study, titled “The effect of exercise on mental health and health-related quality of life in individuals with multiple sclerosis: A Systematic review and meta-analysis,” consolidates findings from 49 studies encompassing over 2,000 individuals diagnosed with MS. Researchers from Italy and Canada collaborated on this analysis to evaluate the impact of exercise on mental health and life quality among MS patients.
Meta-analyses amalgamate data from various individual studies, granting them enhanced statistical power to discern meaningful effects compared to single studies. In this instance, researchers examined the collective data from studies conducted between 1996 and 2023, encompassing diverse exercise interventions ranging from aerobic workouts to strength training, aquatic therapy, Pilates, and balance training.
The analysis revealed a consistent pattern across studies, indicating that MS patients who engaged in exercise regimens reported notable improvements in subjective measures of overall well-being and health-related quality of life compared to those who did not. Notably, aerobic exercise emerged as particularly effective, demonstrating consistent benefits in promoting mental health and quality of life. Moreover, exercise programs combining aerobic training with strength training showcased similar positive outcomes.
Despite these encouraging findings, the researchers cautioned that the majority of participants across the analyzed studies were under 65 years old and exhibited relatively mild disability. Therefore, extrapolating these results to older individuals or those with more severe impairments warrants further investigation.
In conclusion, while exercise interventions, especially aerobic activities, exhibit considerable potential in enhancing mental health and quality of life for individuals with MS, further research is necessary to ascertain the applicability of these findings to diverse MS populations. Efforts to expand the evidence base to encompass older individuals and those with greater disability levels are imperative to inform more comprehensive and tailored interventions for MS management.
