2026 American Academy of Neurology Abstract Website

Objective:

Determine the impact of physical therapy on the reduction of fatigue measured by the Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS) and the improvement in functionality, assessed by the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS).

Background:

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic and neurodegenerative disease, which can cause considerable fatigue and functional limitation, being the main cause of disability in young adults. Physical therapy has been proposed as an intervention that allows for the mitigation of these effects.

Design/Methods:

A longitudinal, prospective and single-centre study was conducted, where patients with Relapsing Remitting MS with an EDSS of less than 4 were selected. Ten physical therapy sessions focused on maintaining ranges of movement and improving muscle strength were carried out, followed by a two-month follow-up. EDSS and MFIS were measured at the beginning and end of the intervention period.

Results:

Eleven patients were included (7 Females and 4 Males) with a mean age of 36 years. The predominant treatment was Rituximab (46%), followed by Interferon Beta (36%) and Natalizumab (18%). There was no significant difference in the EDSS before and after the intervention (p=0.8), but there was in the MFIS (p=0.006). Furthermore, a significant correlation was found between the relationship of the EDSS (p <0.0001) and the MFIS (p <0.0001) with the duration of physical therapy.

Conclusions:

Physical therapy may be an effective intervention for reducing fatigue in the short term, and potentially improving functionality in the long term. These results highlight the importance of including physical therapy as part of the comprehensive management of MS, to improve the quality of life of patients.