Most common types of physical activity self-selected by people with multiple sclerosis.
The promotion of physical activity for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) would benefit from information about the common types of physical activity self-selected by this population. This study examined the most frequent types of physical activity self-reported by a large sample of people with MS. The data were collected as part of the baseline assessment of a longitudinal investigation of physical activity in relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS). The participants (N = 272) were sent a battery of questionnaires through the US Postal Service that included the Modifiable Activity Questionnaire for assessing types of physical activity performed during the previous year. Walking was ranked number 1 for both the first and second most common types of physical activity self-selected by people with MS, and it was ranked number 4 as the third most common type of self-selected physical activity. Collectively, 79% of the sample reported walking as a frequent form of self-selected physical activity in the previous year. Other notable types of physical activities self-selected by people with MS were gardening (44%), weight training (34%), bicycling (30%), and calisthenics (20%). This information may assist clinicians and practitioners in the development of physical activity programs and recommendations for people with MS.
Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
Madeline
M
Weikert
Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
Deirdre
D
Dlugonski
Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
Swathi
S
Balantrapu
Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
Robert W
RW
Motl