High Intensity Interval Training for People With Mild Multiple Sclerosis: A Feasibility Study

Exercise has been shown to improve quality of life in people with multiple sclerosis but most exercise programmes are carried out at low to moderate intensities. The next stage in the management of the condition is to establish if people with mild Multiple Sclerosis can exercise, safely and effectively at a higher intensity. High intensity interval training (HIIT) involves repeated bursts of hard exercise interspersed with periods of rest. High intensity interval trainingcould be a time efficient and safe option for people with Multiple Sclerosis. Potential improvements are; cardiovascular fitness, resistance to fatigue, balance, quality of life and attitude to physical exercise. Participants will attend two sessions per week for 6 weeks. Each session will involve 6-10 sets of 60 seconds of high intensity cycling followed by 60 seconds rest. Potential participants must have a clinical diagnosis of Mulitple Sclerosis for more than 3 months, an EDSS score of less than 2.5, aged 18-65, and had no more than one relapse in the last 2 years. From this study the investigators hope to discover if High Intensity Interval Training is a safe and enjoyable form of physical activity for people with mild Multiple Sclerosis. This will then hopefully lead to further large research trials.