Physical Activity in Multiple Sclerosis: Meeting the Guidelines at the Time of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Background And Purpose: Regular physical activity (PA) helps to reduce the severity of physical and mental symptoms and improves quality of life in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). Based on current evidence and expert opinion, the recent multiple sclerosis guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes/week of PA. This study presents the results of a survey analyzing whether and how PwMS met the guidelines before and during the pandemic.

Changes in physiotherapy services and use of technology for people with multiple sclerosis during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to reorganization or reduction of neurorehabilitation services for people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). The aim of this study was to explore the changes in the organizational framework and technology usage in physiotherapy services for PwMS during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: This international cross-sectional survey study was designed, developed, and disseminated by RIMS European Network for Best Practice and Research in Multiple Sclerosis Rehabilitation.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Physical Activity and Associated Technology Use in Persons With Multiple Sclerosis: An International RIMS-SIG Mobility Survey Study.

Objective: To investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on physical activity in persons with multiple sclerosis (PwMS).

Design: Multicenter international online survey study.

Setting: The survey was conducted within 11 participating countries.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on physical therapy practice for people with multiple sclerosis: A multicenter survey study of the RIMS network.

Background: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on physical therapy services for people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS) is unknown. Therefore, the Special Interest Group for Mobility (SIG Mobility) of the European Network for Best Practice and Research in Multiple Sclerosis Rehabilitation (RIMS) has undertaken the initiative to examine the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on physical therapy services and physical activity participation in pwMS across Europe, Israel and Australia.

Objective: To describe the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on physical therapy practice from the perspective of the therapist.

Improving our understanding of the most important items of the Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale-12 indicating mobility dysfunction: Secondary results from a RIMS multicenter study.

Background: The 12-item Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale (MSWS-12) is currently the most widely validated, patient-reported outcome measure assessing patients' perception of the impact of multiple sclerosis (MS) on walking ability. To date, the majority of previous studies investigating the MSWS-12 have focused on the total score despite individual items being potentially informative. Therefore, our objective was to examine the associations between the individual items of the MSWS-12 and mobility and whether these associations depend on disability level.

Real-World Goal Setting and Use of Outcome Measures According to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health: A European Survey of Physical Therapy Practice in Multiple Sclerosis.

Goal setting is a core component of physical therapy in multiple sclerosis (MS). It is unknown whether and to what extent goals are set at different levels of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), and whether, and to which, standardized outcome measures are used in real life for evaluation at the different ICF levels. Our aim was to describe the real-world use of goal setting and outcome measures in Europe.

Content and Delivery of Physical Therapy in Multiple Sclerosis across Europe: A Survey.

Guidelines and general recommendations are available for multiple sclerosis rehabilitation, but no specific guidance exists for physical therapists. Describing aspects of physical therapy content and delivery in multiple sclerosis and its determinants and analysing whether general recommendations connected with physical therapy are implemented in practice is important for interpreting clinical and research evidence. Methods: An online cross-sectional survey of physical therapists specialized in multiple sclerosis (212 specialists from 26 European countries) was used.

Searching for the "Active Ingredients" in Physical Rehabilitation Programs Across Europe, Necessary to Improve Mobility in People With Multiple Sclerosis: A Multicenter Study.

Background: Physical rehabilitation programs can lead to improvements in mobility in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS).

Objective: To identify which rehabilitation program elements are employed in real life and how they might affect mobility improvement in PwMS.

Methods: Participants were divided into improved and nonimproved mobility groups based on changes observed in the Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale-12 following multimodal physical rehabilitation programs.

Effects of Rehabilitation on Gait Pattern at Usual and Fast Speeds Depend on Walking Impairment Level in Multiple Sclerosis.

Background: Physical rehabilitation can improve walking capacity in persons with multiple sclerosis (MS). However, changes in spatiotemporal gait parameters after rehabilitation are not frequently evaluated, and it is unknown to what extent potential effects depend on baseline disability level. The objective was to investigate the effectiveness of rehabilitation programs on gait parameters at usual and fastest speeds in persons with MS categorized according to walking speed.

The economic impact of multiple sclerosis to the patients and their families in Norway.

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) imposes high economic costs on society, but the patients and their families have to bear some of these costs.

Objective: We aimed to estimate the magnitude of these economic costs in Norway.

Method: We collected data through a postal questionnaire survey targeting 922 MS patients in Hordaland County, western Norway, in 2013-2014; 546 agreed to participate and were included.

Physiotherapeutic interventions in multiple sclerosis across Europe: Regions and other factors that matter.

Background: A wide variety of interventions exists in physical therapy (PT), but knowledge about their use across different geographical regions is limited. This study investigated the use of PT interventions in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) across Europe. It aimed to determine whether regions differ in applying interventions, and explore whether factors other than regions play a role in their use.

The organisation of physiotherapy for people with multiple sclerosis across Europe: a multicentre questionnaire survey.

Background: Understanding the organisational set-up of physiotherapy services across different countries is increasingly important as clinicians around the world use evidence to improve their practice. This also has to be taken into consideration when multi-centre international clinical trials are conducted. This survey aimed to systematically describe organisational aspects of physiotherapy services for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) across Europe.

The influence of coping styles on long-term employment in multiple sclerosis: A prospective study.

Background: The aim was to investigate predictive values of coping styles, clinical and demographic factors on time to unemployment in patients diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) during 1998-2002 in Norway.

Method: All patients ( N = 108) diagnosed with MS 1998-2002 in Hordaland and Rogaland counties, Western Norway, were invited to participate in the long-term follow-up study in 2002. Baseline recordings included disability scoring (Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS)), fatigue (Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS)), depression (Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)), and questionnaire assessing coping (the Dispositional Coping Styles Scale (COPE)).

Balance and walking after three different models of stroke rehabilitation: early supported discharge in a day unit or at home, and traditional treatment (control).

Objective: To compare the effects on balance and walking of three models of stroke rehabilitation: early supported discharge with rehabilitation in a day unit or at home, and traditional uncoordinated treatment (control).

Design: Group comparison study within a randomised controlled trial.

Setting: Hospital stroke unit and primary healthcare.

Responsiveness and clinically meaningful improvement, according to disability level, of five walking measures after rehabilitation in multiple sclerosis: a European multicenter study.

Background: Evaluation of treatment effects on walking requires appropriate and responsive outcome measures.

Objectives: To determine responsiveness of 5 walking measures and provide reference values for clinically meaningful improvements, according to disability level, in persons with multiple sclerosis (pwMS).

Methods: Walking tests were measured pre- and postrehabilitation in 290 pwMS from 17 European centers.

"I refer to them as my colleagues": the experience of mutual recognition of self, identity and empowerment in multiple sclerosis.

Purpose: To explore how persons with multiple sclerosis (MS) experience participating in inpatient rehabilitation, and how it might provide psychosocial benefits.

Method: Ten participants with MS who had completed inpatient rehabilitation in Norway and on Tenerife participated in two focus groups. A semi-structured interview protocol was used.

The Trunk Impairment Scale - modified to ordinal scales in the Norwegian version.

Purpose: To translate the Trunk Impairment Scale (TIS), a measure of trunk control in patients after stroke, into Norwegian (TIS-NV), and to explore its construct validity, internal consistency, intertester and test-retest reliability.

Method: TIS was translated according to international guidelines. The validity study was performed on data from 201 patients with acute stroke.

The influence of warm versus cold climate on the effect of physiotherapy in multiple sclerosis.

Objective: To compare the effect of inpatient physiotherapy in a warm versus cold climate in short- and long-term perspectives.

Methods: Sixty multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with gait problems, without heat intolerance, were included in a randomized cross-over study of 4-week inpatient physiotherapy in warm (Spain) and cold (Norway) climate. The primary outcome, 6-min walk test (6MWT), and secondary physical performance and self-reported measures were scored at screening, baseline, after treatment and at 3 and 6 months of follow-up.

Fatigue in multiple sclerosis: associations with health-related quality of life and physical performance.

Background And Purpose: fatigue is a common, but still one of the least understood symptoms in multiple sclerosis (MS). We aimed to investigate whether fatigue was associated with demographic-, clinical-, health-related quality of life (HRQoL)- and physical performance variables, and whether change in fatigue after treatment was associated with changes in HRQoL and physical performance.

Methods: sixty patients were included for inpatient physiotherapy.