The role of aerobic exercise in improving functioning and treating the symptoms of individuals with multiple sclerosis

Abstract

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a progressive long-term neurological disorder of the central nervous system (CNS) that directly affects the lives of individuals and their environment. Early intervention through the systematic application of aerobic exercise can help to better treat the symptoms in people with MS by improving their balance, quality of movement and reducing their functional limitations. The aim of this review is to describe recent research data on the efficacy of this method in improving the functioning and treatment of symptoms in people with MS. The Google Scholar and PubMed database were searched in English and Greek with the following keywords: multiple sclerosis, aerobic exercise, functional ability, rehabilitation. The review included 10 articles from clinical trials, systematic reviews and books. Discussion - Conclusions: The application of aerobic exercise seems to have a positive effect on the treatment of motor disorders in people with MS when compared to conventional physiotherapy. The results of this review show that aerobic exercise two to three times a week for more than six weeks is able to improve the functional level of people with MS.