Telephone-Delivered Exercise for Multiple Sclerosis Fatigue

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a progressive demyelinating disorder that damages white matter in
the central nervous system. Although individuals experience mobility (e.g., walking, balance)
impairments that lower quality of life and limit participation in daily activities, one of
the most prominent symptoms is fatigue. Up to 92% of individuals report fatigue that
manifests as lack of energy, exhaustion or worsening of MS symptoms and ultimately
contributes to increasing disability. The currently available pharmaceutical treatments fail
to fully control fatigue in the majority of individuals with MS; non-pharmacologic therapies
such as exercise and behavioral therapies offer the best hope for combating MS fatigue in the
majority of individuals.

Exercise therapy is effective in reducing MS fatigue. However, access to exercise therapy is
seriously limited for many individuals with MS due to geographical location, limited
resources (e.g., financial, transportation), and/or disability. Thus, the development and
evaluation of an alternative delivery method for exercise therapy to target MS-related
fatigue that increases participation and reduces barriers is critical.

In this study, the investigators will compare traditional in-person delivered exercise
therapy to telephone-delivered exercise therapy to target fatigue in persons with MS.