Physical Activity Benefits, Guidelines, and Promotion across the Disease Spectrum in Multiple Sclerosis

Physical activity is an evidence-based approach for improving symptoms and slowing disease progression among person with multiple sclerosis (MS). Benefits of health-promoting physical activity include improvements in cognitive functioning, mobility, depression, fatigue, and quality of life. Our presentation will go beyond outlining the benefits of physical activity for persons with MS and provide educational content regarding physical activity guidelines and prescription as well as current approaches for promoting physical activity across the MS disease spectrum. We will provide guidance from health care practitioners and researchers on strategies for integration of physical activity into comprehensive MS care settings. Finally, we will outline future directions of physical activity, specifically innovative training modalities and subpopulations that experience health disparities.