Comparison of Two Physical Activity Interventions in Individuals With Multiple Sclerosis

December 1, 2022 updated by: Helen Genova, Kessler Foundation

Comparison of Two Physical Activity Interventions in Individuals With Multiple Sclerosis: A Randomized Clinical Trial

This study will examine the effectiveness of aquatic therapy on a range of MS-related symptoms such as cognition, mood, fatigue and quality of life (QOL).

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Aim 1. Examine the impact of aquatic exercise on cognitive abilities. The proposed study will test the hypotheses that, compared to the wait-list control group, the treatment group will demonstrate significantly greater improvements in cognitive outcomes, specifically: processing speed, executive functioning, working memory and long-term memory.

Aim 2. The current study will examine the impact of an aquatic exercise on fatigue, mood, wellness, QOL and physical functioning. Specifically the investigators predict that aquatic exercise will lead to improvements in: 1.Fatigue 2. Health related QOL 3. Depression/anxiety 4. Self-efficacy 5. Physical Functioning (i.e. gait and walking).

Aim 3: Examine the long-term effects of aquatic exercise on all outcome measures.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Anticipated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
30

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 65 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • diagnosis of MS.
  • between the ages of 18-65.
  • read and speak English fluently.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • history of significant substance abuse.
  • history of neurological disease other than MS (for example, stroke, epilepsy, or brain injury).
  • history of significant psychiatric illness (for example, bipolar disorder or schizophrenia).
  • has engaged in more than 30 minutes of moderate to strenuous exercise per week during the past six months.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
  • Masking: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Treatment
The treatment group will participate in an eight week aquatic exercise program during weeks 2-9 of the study. The aquatic exercise program will consist of 45 minute classes held 3 days/week for 8 weeks (18 hours total). The program is based on guidelines provided by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS) and will be led by an aquatic fitness instructor certified to teach individuals with MS at the YMCA in Randolph, NJ.. The exercises will focus on improving flexibility, balance and strength. Equipment such as water mitts, paddles, noodles and bands will be used to increase the level of difficulty as needed.
Behavioral: Aquatic Exercise Program
The aquatic exercise program will consist of 45 minute classes held 3 days/week for 8 weeks (18 hours total). The program is based on guidelines provided by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS) and will be led by an aquatic fitness instructor certified to teach individuals with MS at the YMCA in Scotch Plains-Fanwood. The exercises will focus on improving flexibility, balance and strength. Equipment such as water mitts, paddles, noodles and bands will be used to increase the level of difficulty as needed.
Active Comparator: Control
The control group will participate in an eight week stretching program during weeks 2-9 of the study. The stretching program will consist of 45 minute classes held 3 days/week for 8 weeks (18 hours total). The program is based on guidelines provided by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS) and will be conducted online via a secure video-conferencing website.
Behavioral: Stretching Program
The stretching program will consist of 45 minute classes held 3 days/week for 8 weeks (18 hours total). The program is based on guidelines provided by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS) and will be conducted online via a secure video-conferencing website.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Cognition measured by results of standardized neuropsychological tests
Time Frame: 8 weeks
standardized measures of processing speed, executive functioning, working memory and long-term memory
8 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Fatigue measured by self-report questionnaires
Time Frame: 8 weeks
Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS) and Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS_
8 weeks
Quality of Life measured by self report questionnaires
Time Frame: 8 weeks
General QOL measured with Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) and HRQOL measured with Health Status Questionnaire (HSQ).
8 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Kessler Foundation

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
National Multiple Sclerosis Society

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Helen Genova, PhD, Kessler Foundation

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
August 1, 2016

Primary Completion (Anticipated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
December 1, 2022

Study Completion (Anticipated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
December 1, 2022

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
July 7, 2015

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
July 9, 2015

First Posted (Estimate)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
July 14, 2015

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
December 5, 2022

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
December 1, 2022

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
December 1, 2022

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • R-876-15

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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