The Effect of Remotely Delivered Pilates on Physical , and Psychological Outcomes in Individuals With Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

Does Remotely Delivered Pilates Influence Physical and Psychological Outcomes in Individuals With Multiple Sclerosis?

Objectives Objective 1: To determine the effects of a 16-week remotely delivered Pilates intervention on walking endurance, walking speed, balance, fatigue, and pain compared to a waitlist control group in individuals with MS.

Objective 2: To examine the impact of a 16-week remotely delivered Pilates intervention on depression & anxiety, cognitive function, and QOL compared to a waitlist control group in individuals with MS.

Aim Aim 1: To assess whether the 16-week remotely delivered Pilates intervention significantly improves walking endurance, walking speed, balance, fatigue, and pain compared to a waitlist control group in individuals with MS Aim 2: To investigate whether the 16-week remotely delivered Pilates intervention significantly improves depression & anxiety, cognitive function, and QOL compared to a waitlist control group in individuals with MS.

Hypothesis Hypothesis 1: The 16-week remotely delivered Pilates intervention will significantly improve walking endurance, walking speed, balance, fatigue, and pain compared to a waitlist control group in individuals with MS.

Hypothesis 2: Participants receiving the 16-week remotely delivered Pilates intervention will demonstrate significantly greater improvements in depression & anxiety, cognitive function, and QOL compared to a waitlist control group in individuals with MS.

Study Overview

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Conditions: Depression; Quality of Life; Multiple Sclerosis; Fatigue; Pain Management; Walking; Cognition; Balance; Fatigue in Multiple Sclerosis; Pilates Exercise
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Pilates

Detailed Description

The current study will determine the feasibility and efficacy of a 16-week remotely delivered Pilates intervention for improving physical and psychological outcomes, and QOL, compared with a control condition, in individuals with MS. This represents a significant step forward in examining Pilates as an accessible, complementary therapy in MS.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 50
• Phase: Not Applicable

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age 18 years or older
• Self-reported diagnosis of multiple sclerosis by a neurologist
• Relapse-free for the past 30 days before screening
• Able to speak and read English as the primary language
• Access to the internet and e-mail,
• Ability to use Zoom, and willingness to complete testing sessions and questionnaires
• Ambulatory without an assistive device (for example, cane)
• Low to moderate disability, defined as a score of 0-4 on the Patient-Determined Disease Steps (PDDS)
• Insufficiently active, defined as a score < 14 on the Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire-Health Contribution Score (GLTEQ-HCS)
• Adequate visual ability and literacy to read materials printed in 14-point font
• Currently treated with a disease-modifying therapy

Exclusion Criteria:

• Pregnant
• Elevated risk for strenuous or maximal exercise, defined as more than one "Yes" response on the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q) during screening

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Other
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Other: Pilates group; Behavioral: Pilates group	Behavioral: Pilates; REMOTLY PILATES EXERCISE
No Intervention: Control group; Waitlist Group

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change from baseline in walking endurance (Six-Minute Walk Test distance)	Distance walked during the Six-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) will be measured in meters. The outcome is the change from baseline to 16 weeks in 6MWT distance.	Baseline and 16 weeks (end of treatment)
Change from baseline in walking speed (Timed 25-Foot Walk)	Walking speed will be assessed using the Timed 25-Foot Walk (T25FW). The outcome is the change from baseline to 16 weeks in time to walk 25 feet, measured in seconds.	Baseline and 16 weeks (end of treatment)
Change from baseline in balance (Berg Balance Scale)	Balance will be assessed using the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), a 14-item performance-based measure of static and dynamic balance. Each item is scored from 0 to 4, and the outcome will be the change from baseline to 16 weeks in the BBS total score (range 0-56), with higher scores indicating better balance and lower risk of falls.	Baseline and 16 weeks (end of treatment)
Change from baseline in fatigue (Fatigue Severity Scale)	Fatigue will be measured using the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), a 9-item questionnaire assessing the impact of fatigue on daily functioning. Each item is rated from 1 to 7, and the outcome will be the change from baseline to 16 weeks in the FSS mean score (range 1-7), with higher scores indicating more severe fatigue.	Baseline and 16 weeks (end of treatment)
Change from baseline in pain (Short-form McGill Pain Questionnaire)	Pain will be measured using the Short-form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ). The outcome is the change from baseline to 16 weeks in SF-MPQ total score.	Baseline and 16 weeks (end of treatment)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change from baseline in cognitive processing speed (Symbol Digit Modalities Test)	Cognitive processing speed will be assessed using the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT). The outcome is the change from baseline to 16 weeks in SDMT total score, with higher scores indicating better processing speed. SDMT scores typically range from 0 to about 110 correct responses.	Baseline and 16 weeks (end of treatment)
Change from baseline in verbal learning and memory (California Verbal Learning Test-II)	Verbal learning and memory will be assessed using the California Verbal Learning Test-II (CVLT-II). The outcome is the change from baseline to 16 weeks in CVLT-II total recall score, with higher scores indicating better verbal learning and memory. CVLT-II total recall scores typically range from 0 to about 80.	Baseline and 16 weeks (end of treatment)
Change from baseline in visuospatial learning and memory (Brief Visuospatial Memory Test-Revised)	Visuospatial learning and memory will be assessed using the Brief Visuospatial Memory Test-Revised (BVMT-R). The outcome is the change from baseline to 16 weeks in BVMT-R total recall score, with higher scores indicating better visuospatial memory. BVMT-R total recall scores typically range from 0 to 36.	Baseline and 16 weeks (end of treatment)
Change from baseline in depression symptoms	Depression will be measured using a validated questionnaire (e.g., the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Depression subscale or a similar instrument). The outcome is the change from baseline to 16 weeks in depression total score, with higher scores indicating greater depressive symptoms. Typical depression scales have ranges such as 0-21 (HADS-D) ; enter the exact range that matches the scale you are using.	Baseline and 16 weeks (end of treatment)
Change from baseline in anxiety symptoms	Anxiety will be measured using a validated questionnaire (e.g., the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Anxiety subscale or a similar instrument). The outcome is the change from baseline to 16 weeks in anxiety total score, with higher scores indicating greater anxiety. Typical anxiety scales have ranges such as 0-21 (HADS-A) or 0-63 (BAI); enter the exact range that matches the scale you are using.	Baseline and 16 weeks (end of treatment)
Change from baseline in health-related quality of life	Health-related quality of life will be assessed using a validated questionnaire (e.g., the MSQoL-54 or a comparable instrument). The outcome is the change from baseline to 16 weeks in the quality-of-life total score or composite score. For instruments scored 0-100, higher scores typically indicate better quality of life; specify the exact scoring range and direction according to your chosen measure.	Baseline and 16 weeks (end of treatment)

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Illinois at Chicago

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Estimated): June 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): November 1, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2027

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: October 2, 2025
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 25, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): March 31, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 31, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 25, 2026
• Last Verified: August 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Depression; Balance; Pain; Quality of life; Fatigue; multiple sclerosis; Cognition; Walking; Pilates
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Neurologic Manifestations; Nervous System Diseases; Autoimmune Diseases; Immune System Diseases; Behavioral Symptoms; Neurobehavioral Manifestations; Demyelinating Autoimmune Diseases, CNS; Autoimmune Diseases of the Nervous System; Demyelinating Diseases; Perceptual Disorders; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Behavior; Signs and Symptoms; Pain; Multiple Sclerosis; Depression; Fatigue; Agnosia; Therapeutics; Physical Therapy Modalities; Exercise Movement Techniques
• Other Study ID Numbers: STUDY2025-0648-MOD001; MB-2110-38597 (Other Grant/Funding Number: National Multiple Sclerosis Society)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No