About STEP for MS

This study aims to compare the effectiveness of an exercise program delivered in a conventional facility-based format versus a telerehabilitation (telerehab) format, which takes place in the home. Exercise can improve mobility and perhaps decrease the rate and extent of disability in people with MS. Evidence shows that traditional, facility-based exercise training may help people with MS consistently participate in exercise or to exercise at a higher, more intense level. Despite this evidence, lack of access to facility-based exercise programs may make it difficult for people with MS to engage in exercise. Telerehab has great potential to overcome challenges associated with facility-based exercise programs. Telerehab can include videoconferencing , remote monitoring of signs and activity, and dissemination of specialized and individualized information via electronic mechanisms. Both facility-based and telerehab exercise training have yielded positive results in people with MS, but have not been compared head-to-head. The current study will fill this gap in the evidence base and compare the outcomes of delivering the same exercise interventions in a facility or in the home/community using a telerehab approach. The interventions are designed to be identical in content, with the only difference being the mode of training delivery.