James Cook University (JCU) lecturer Moira Smith is looking for volunteers for the 12-week flexible exercise program she developed for people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a condition that interferes with nerve impulses of the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves.
Through the program, Smith aims to examine the beneficial effects of sports and exercise for people suffering from MS – a commonly progressive disease that results to increased level of disability.
“We now think that exercise can have a neuroprotective effect – it may reduce the number of relapses experienced. Exercise is definitely beneficial for people with MS but we need more investigation into why this is the case,” Smith said.
Looking for people in the Townsville area experiencing minimal disability from relapsing-remitting MS, Smith will examine the effects of exercise on high-level mobility, vitality, and biomarkers to determine if exercise can slow the disease down.
“Some people with MS are unsure about how hard to push themselves with exercise and when to back off. The aim of the current study is to find the right balance between too much and too little sport and exercise,” she said.
Consisting of 12 weeks of aerobic exercise and sports, Smith’s program will have each participant choose an exercise, location and time that suites them and work independently on the exercise with a physiotherapist guiding their progression each week.