Abstract:
Introduction: Multiple Sclerosis (M.S) is a chronic disease afflicting the nervous system and destroying the myelin sheath of the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord). Fatigue is the most common and weakening symptom of M.S. The present study aims at investigating the effects of 8 weeks of aquatic aerobic training on fatigue severity in M.S patients.Material and Methods: The study is quasi-experimental and the findings are of practical value. From 100female M.S patients, 40 participants aged between 20 to 50 years, with illness severity of 6 to 1 and mean illness duration of 4±1 years were selected to take part in this study. They were randomly assigned into two groups: a control group and an experimental group, each with 20 participants. . The training program was implemented on the experimental group for 8 weeks, 3 sessions per week, at the intensity of 50-60% maximum heart rate. Descriptive statistics, dependent and independent t tests were run to analyze the data.Results: The posttest mean fatigue severity in the experimental and control groups were 2.94±0.91 and4.22 0.96 respectively. There was no significant difference between the mean fatigue severity in the controland experimental groups (P=0.001).Discussion and Conclusion: Aquatic aerobic training may reduce fatigue severity in the M.S patients. Based on the present finding, the therapists may use aquatic aerobic training as a supplementary treatment beside medications for the M.S patients.
Machine summary:
"The Effect of Aquatic Aerobic Training on Fatigue Severity in Multiple Sclerosis Patients Abstract Introduction: Multiple Sclerosis (M.
S. The present study aims at investigating the effects of 8 weeks of aquatic aerobic training on fatigue severity in M.
S patients, the researchers were encouraged to investigate the effects of 8 weeks of aquatic aerobic training on fatigue severity in M.
Next, the experimental and control groups participated in the pretest whereby the fatigue severity test was administered and the results were recorded.
Table 1:t test results of fatigue severity in the patients (رچوع شود به تصویر صفحه) Discussion and Conclusion According to the mean fatigue severity which was the same in the pretest in either group but different in the posttest between the groups, we may conclude that aquatic aerobic training is beneficial to the patients.
However, the present findings do not match the findings of Kileff and Ashburn (2005) who studied the effects of aerobic training on fatigue severity of M.
Reduction in the patients' fatigue severity in the present study may be attributed to aquatic aerobic training and the duration of training program for 8 weeks.
Investigating the Effect of Aquatic Aerobic Training on the Speed of Walking in High and Low- Degree Multiple Sclerosis Patients.
Effects of a short- term exercise training program on aerobic fitness, fatigue, health perception and activity level of participants with multiple sclerosis.
Long-term benefits of exercising on quality of life and fatigue in multiple sclerosis patients with mild disability: a pilot study."