Sports Sciences Commons^™

Impaired Firing Behavior Of Individually Tracked Paretic Motor Units During Fatiguing Contractions Of The Dorsiflexors And Functional Implications Post Stroke, Francesco Negro, Kathleen Bathon, Jennifer Nguyen, Cassidy Bannon, Claudio Orizio, Sandra K. Hunter, Allison S. Hyngstrom

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

Introduction: This study quantified stroke-related changes in the following: (1) the averaged discharge rate of motor units (individually tracked and untracked) identified from high-density electromyography (HD-EMG) recordings, (2) global muscle EMG properties of the dorsiflexors during a fatiguing contraction, and the relationship between task endurance and measures of leg function.

Methods: Ten individuals with chronic stroke performed a sustained sub-maximal, isometric, fatiguing dorsiflexion contraction in paretic and non-paretic legs. Motor-unit firing behavior, task duration, maximal voluntary contraction strength (MVC), and clinical measures of leg function were obtained.

Results: Compared to the non-paretic leg, the paretic leg task duration was shorter, …

Time-Frequency Analysis Of Muscle Activation Patterns In People With Chronic Ankle Instability During Landing And Cutting Tasks, Hoon Kim, Rianna M. Palmieri-Smith, Kristof Kipp

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

Background

People with chronic ankle instability (CAI) exhibit neuromuscular deficits. Previous studies, however, only investigated magnitudes of muscle activation and not the time-frequency domain.

Research question

Do people with CAI exhibit differences in muscle activation patterns in the time-frequency domain during landing, anticipated cutting, and unanticipated cutting compared to matched controls?

Methods

Eleven people with CAI and eleven healthy matched controls (CON) performed landing, anticipated cutting, and unanticipated cutting as surface EMG of the lateral gastrocnemius, medial gastrocnemius, fibularis longus, soleus, and tibialis anterior were recorded. The time-frequency domain of surface EMG data was analyzed with wavelet transformations and principal …

Who Is Wearing A Mask? Gender-, Age-, And Location-Related Differences During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Mike Haischer, Rachel Beilfuss, Meggie Rose Hart, Lauren Opielinski, David Wrucke, Gretchen Zirgaitis, Toni D. Urich, Sandra K. Hunter

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

Masks are an effective tool in combatting the spread of COVID-19, but some people still resist wearing them and mask-wearing behavior has not been experimentally studied in the United States. To understand the demographics of mask wearers and resistors, and the impact of mandates on mask-wearing behavior, we observed shoppers (n = 9935) entering retail stores during periods of June, July, and August 2020. Approximately 41% of the June sample wore a mask. At that time, the odds of an individual wearing a mask increased significantly with age and was also 1.5x greater for females than males. Additionally, the …

Greater Fatigability And Motor Unit Discharge Variability In Human Type 2 Diabetes, Jonathon Senefeld, Kevin G. Keenan, Kevin S. Ryan, Sarah E. D'Astice, Francesco Negro, Sandra K. Hunter

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

This study determined the discharge characteristics of motor units from two lower limb muscles before and after fatiguing exercise in people with type 2 diabetes (T2D) with no symptoms of polyneuropathy and activity-matched controls. Seventeen people with T2D (65.0 ± 5.6 years; 8 women) and 17 controls (63.6 ± 4.5 years; 8 women) performed: (a) intermittent, isometric contractions at 50% maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) sustained to failure with the ankle dorsiflexors, and (b) a dynamic fatiguing task (30% MVIC load) for 6 min with the knee extensors. Before and after the fatiguing tasks, motor unit characteristics (including coefficient of …

Ca2+ Dependency Of Limb Muscle Fiber Contractile Mechanics In Young And Older Adults, Laura E. Teigen, Christopher W. Sundberg, Lauren J. Kelly, Sandra K. Hunter, Robert H. Fitts

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

Age-induced declines in skeletal muscle contractile function have been attributed to multiple cellular factors, including lower peak force (P_o), decreased Ca²⁺ sensitivity, and reduced shortening velocity (V_o). However, changes in these cellular properties with aging remain unresolved, especially in older women, and the effect of submaximal Ca²⁺ on contractile function is unknown. Thus, we compared contractile properties of muscle fibers from 19 young (24 ± 3 yr; 8 women) and 21 older adults (77 ± 7 yr; 7 women) under maximal and submaximal Ca²⁺ and assessed the abundance of three proteins thought to …

Determinants Of Low Bone Mineral Density In People With Multiple Sclerosis: Role Of Physical Activity, Brice T. Cleland, Paula E. Papanek, Benjamin A. Ingraham, April L. Harkins, Mauricio Garnier-Villarreal, Douglas Woo, Mary Ellen Csuka, Alexander V. Ng

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

Background

People with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) have reduced bone mineral density (BMD), but the causes are unclear. Some factors that may cause reduced BMD in PwMS have been understudied, including physical activity, inflammation, cortisol, symptomatic fatigue, and depression. The aim of this study was to investigate factors that may uniquely contribute to reduced BMD in PwMS as compared to people without MS. We hypothesized that physical activity would be the primary determinant of low BMD in PwMS, with additional contributions from inflammation and sympathetic nervous system activation.

Methods

We tested 23 PwMS (16 women; median EDSS: 2) and 22 control …

Increased Cardiovascular Response To A 6-Minute Walk Test In People With Type 2 Diabetes, Jonathon Senefeld, Sarah E. D'Astice, Alison R. Harmer, Sandra K. Hunter

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

Background and objective

Exercise is a cornerstone of management for type 2 diabetes; however, little is known about the cardiovascular (CV) response to submaximal functional exercise in people with type 2 diabetes. The aim of this study was to compare performance and CV response during a 6-minute walk test (6MWT) between people with type 2 diabetes and matched control subjects.

Methods

CV response and distance walked during the 6MWT were assessed in 30 people with type 2 diabetes, matched for age, body composition, physical activity, and estimated aerobic capacity with 34 control subjects (type 2 diabetes group: 16 men, 59.8 …

Efficacy Of Osteoporosis Prevention Smartphone App, Polly Ryan, Roger L. Brown, Mary Ellen Csuka, Paula E. Papanek

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

Background

The Striving to be Strong study tested the efficacy of a multifaceted, theory-based, complex osteoporosis prevention smartphone application (app). We hypothesized use of the app would improve bone mineral density and trabecular bone scores.

Methods

The study was a three-group, prospective, repeated-measure, longitudinal randomized trial. Baseline sample consisted of 290 healthy women between 40 and 60 years of age. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups: “Striving,” a dynamically tailored, person-centered app; “Boning Up,” a standardized osteoporosis-education e-book; and “Wait List,” a participant’s choice of intervention in the final 3 months of the 12-month study. Participants had …

Feasibility And Acceptability Of A Self-Report Activity Diary In Families Of Children With And Without Special Needs, Bethany Forseth, Paula E. Papanek, Linda Bandini, Dale A. Schoeller, Andrea Moosreiner, Kathleen J. Sawing, Kimberley Zvara, Michael Fendrich, Michele Polfuss

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

This study was conducted to examine the feasibility and acceptability of a self-report activity diary completed by parents and older children to assess the child's daily activity in children with and without special needs. The study included 36 child/parent dyads stratified by child age and diagnosis. Parents (n = 36) and children ≥13 years (n = 12) were asked to report on the child's daily activity using an activity diary. Feasibility was determined based on successfully returned diaries and acceptability via post-study interview. Activity diaries were submitted by 94% of the parents and 100% of the children, with 83% and …

Sex Differences In Fatigability And Recovery Relative To The Intensity–Duration Relationship, Paul Ansdell, Paul Ansdell, Callum G. Brownstein, Jakob Škarabot, Kristy M. Hicks, Glyn Howatson, Kevin Thomas, Sandra K. Hunter, Stuart Goodall

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

Females are less fatigable than males during isometric exercise at intensities relative to maximal voluntary contraction (MVC); however, whether a sex difference in fatigability exists when exercise is prescribed relative to a critical intensity is unknown. This study established the intensity–duration relationship, and compared fatigability and recovery between sexes following intermittent isometric contractions normalised to critical intensity. Twenty participants (10 females) completed four intermittent isometric knee extension trials to task failure to determine critical intensity and the curvature constant (W′), followed by fatiguing tasks at +10% and −10% relative to critical intensity. Neuromuscular assessments were completed at baseline …

Differential Effects Of Aging And Physical Activity On Corticospinal Excitability Of Upper And Lower Limb Muscles, Vianney Rozand, Jonathon William Senefeld, Christopher W. Sundberg, Ashleigh E. Smith, Sandra K. Hunter

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

Corticospinal tract excitability can be altered by age, physical activity (PA), and possibly sex, but whether these effects differ between upper and lower limb muscles is unknown. We determined the influence of age, PA, and sex on corticospinal excitability of an upper limb and a lower limb muscle during submaximal contractions by comparing stimulus-response curves of motor evoked potentials (MEPs). Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) was used to evoke stimulus-response curves in active muscles by incrementally increasing the stimulator intensity from below the active motor threshold (AMT) until a plateau in MEP amplitudes was achieved. Stimulus-response curves were analyzed from the …

The Relationship Between Blood Flow And Motor Unit Firing Rates In Response To Fatiguing Exercise Post-Stroke, Spencer Murphy, Matthew J. Durand, Francesco Negro, Dario Farina, Sandra K. Hunter, Brian D. Schmit, David D. Gutterman, Allison S. Hyngstrom

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

We quantified the relationship between the change in post-contraction blood flow with motor unit firing rates and metrics of fatigue during intermittent, sub-maximal fatiguing contractions of the knee extensor muscles after stroke. Ten chronic stroke survivors (>1-year post-stroke) and nine controls participated. Throughout fatiguing contractions, the discharge timings of individual motor units were identified by decomposition of high-density surface EMG signals. After five consecutive contractions, a blood flow measurement through the femoral artery was obtained using an ultrasound machine and probe designed for vascular measurements. There was a greater increase of motor unit firing rates from the beginning of …

Oscillations In Neural Drive And Age-Related Reductions In Force Steadiness With A Cognitive Challenge, Hugo M. Pereira, Bonnie A. Schlinder-Delap Mrs., Kevin G. Keenan, Francesco Negro, Dario Farina, Allison S. Hyngstrom, Kristy A. Nielson, Sandra K. Hunter

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

A cognitive challenge when imposed during a low-force isometric contraction will exacerbate sex- and age-related decreases in force steadiness, but the mechanism is not known. We determined the role of oscillations in the common synaptic input to motor units on force steadiness during a muscle contraction with a concurrent cognitive challenge. Forty-nine young adults (19–30 yr; 25 women, 24 men) and 36 old adults (60–85 yr; 19 women, 17 men) performed a cognitive challenge (counting backward by 13) during an isometric elbow flexion task at 5% of maximal voluntary contraction. Single-motor units were decomposed from high-density surface EMG recordings. For …

Ballroom Dance For Persons With Multiple Sclerosis: A Pilot Feasibility Study, Alexander V. Ng, Sheri Bunyan, Jimin Suh, Pamela Huenink, Tyler Gregory, Shannon Gambon, Deborah Miller

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the exercise intensity and feasibility of recreational ballroom dance for persons with multiple sclerosis (MS).

Methods: Seven persons with MS participated in 2 one-hour dance sessions per week for 6 weeks. Dance types included rumba, foxtrot, waltz, and push-pull. Six other persons with MS comprised a control group that did not dance. Heart rate and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) were monitored during the sessions. Outcomes included: quality of life, fatigue, depression, self-efficacy, timed up and go, Berg Balance Scale, Dynamic Gait Index and the Multiple Sclerosis Functional Composite comprising 9-hole …

A Substruction Approach To Assessing The Theoretical Validity Of Measures, Polly Ryan, Marianne E. Weiss, Paula E. Papanek

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

Background

Validity is about the logic, meaningfulness, and evidence used to defend inferences made when interpreting results. Substruction is a heuristic or process that visually represent the hierarchical structure between theory and measures.

Purpose

To describe substruction as a method for assessing the toretical validity of research measures.

Methods

Using Fawcett's Conceptual-Theoretical-Empirical Structure. an exemplar is presented of substruction from the Individual and Family Self-Management Theory to the Striving to be strong study concepts and empirical measures.

Results

Substruction tables display evidence supporting theoretical validity of the instruments used in the study.

Conclusion

A high degree of congruence between theory …

Force Steadiness During A Cognitively Challenging Motor Task Is Predicted By Executive Function In Older Adults, Hugo M. Pereira, Bonnie A. Schlinder-Delap Mrs., Kristy A. Nielson, Sandra K. Hunter

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

Motor performance and cognitive function both decline with aging. Older adults for example are usually less steady for a constant-force task than young adults when performing low-intensity contractions with limb muscles. Healthy older adults can also show varying degrees of cognitive decline, particularly in executive function skills. It is not known, however, whether age-related changes in steadiness of low-force tasks and cognitive function are independent of one another. In this study, we determined if executive function skills in aging are associated with the steadiness during a low-force muscle contraction performed with and without the imposition of a cognitive challenge. We …

Home-Based, Square-Stepping Exercise Program Among Older Adults With Multiple Sclerosis: Results Of A Feasibility Randomized Controlled Study, Emerson Sebastião, Edward Mcauley, Ryosuke Shigematsu, Brynn C. Adamson, Rachel E. Bollaert, Robert W. Motl

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

There is very little known about exercise rehabilitation approaches for older adults with multiple sclerosis (MS), yet this growing segment of the MS population experiences declines in cognition and mobility associated with disease progression and aging. We conducted a RCT examining the feasibility of a 12-week, home-based Square-Stepping Exercise (SSE) program in older adults with MS. Older adults with MS (N = 26) with mild-to-moderate levels of disability were recruited and randomized into the intervention (i.e., SSE) or a minimal activity, attention-control conditions. Participants in the SSE condition received a mat for home-based practice of the step patterns, an …

Gait Variability And Energy Cost Of Overground Walking In Persons With Multiple Sclerosis: A Cross-Sectional Study, Emerson Sebastião, Rachel E. Bollaert, Elizabeth A. Hubbard, Robert W. Motl

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

Objective: This study examined the associations between gait variability based on common spatiotemporal parameters and energetic cost of walking in persons with multiple sclerosis.

Design: Eighty-six persons with multiple sclerosis underwent the 6-min walk while wearing a portable metabolic unit. The cost of walking was generated by dividing the net steady-state VO₂ (milliliter per kilogram per minute) by walking speed during the 6-min walk. Participants further completed two trials of walking on the GAITRite mat at a self-selected pace for measuring spatiotemporal parameters. Variability of step length, step time, stride length, swing time, stance time, stride velocity, and single- …

Associations Of Functional Connectivity And Walking Performance In Multiple Sclerosis, Rachel E. Bollaert, Kyle Poe, Elizabeth A. Hubbard, Robert W. Motl, Lara A. Pilutti, Curtis L. Johnson, Bradley P. Sutton

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

Background

Persons with multiple sclerosis (MS) often demonstrate impaired walking performance, and neuroimaging methods such as resting state functional connectivity. (RSFC) may support a link between central nervous system damage and disruptions in walking.

Objectives

This study examined associations between RSFC in cortical networks and walking performance in persons with MS.

Methods

29 persons with MS underwent 3-T brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and we computed RSFC among 68 Gy matter regions of interest in the brain. Participants completed the Timed 25-foot Walk as a measure of walking performance. We examined associations using partial Pearson product-moment correlation analyses (r …

Physical Activity And Annual Medical Outlay In U.S. Colorectal, Breast And Prostate Cancer Survivors, Alice F. Yan, Yang Wang, Alexander V. Ng

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

Multiple chronic conditions in cancer survivors are highly prevalent and may increase health care costs for both patients and the health care system. Studies of cancer survivors reveal positive effects of physical activity (PA) on reducing risk of cancer recurrence, other chronic conditions, and secondary cancer. Few nationally representative studies have examined how physical activity levels have affected survivors' annual economic burden in the United States.

Leisure-time physical activity data from the National Health Interview Survey was linked to health care expenditure data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data (2008–2012). We calculated per-person annual total medical expenditures for identified …

Mechanisms For The Increased Fatigability Of The Lower Limb In People With Type 2 Diabetes, Jonathon Senefeld, Steven B. Magill, April L. Harkins, Alison R. Harmer, Sandra K. Hunter

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

Fatiguing exercise is the basis of exercise training and a cornerstone of management of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D), however, little is known about the fatigability of limb muscles and the involved mechanisms in people with T2D. The purpose was to compare fatigability of knee extensor muscles between people with T2D and controls without diabetes and determine the neural and muscular mechanisms for a dynamic fatiguing task. Seventeen people with T2D (10 men, 7 women: 59.6{plus minus}9.0 years) and 21 age-, BMI- and physical activity-matched controls (11 men, 10 women: 59.5{plus minus}9.6 years) performed 120 high-velocity concentric contractions (1 contraction/3 …

Six-Minute Walk Test Performance In Persons With Multiple Sclerosis While Using Passive Or Powered Ankle-Foot Orthoses, Morgan K. Boes, Rachel E. Bollaert, Richard M. Kesler, Yvonne C. Learmonth, Mazharul Islam, Matthew N. Petrucci, Robert W. Motl, Elizabeth T. Hsiao-Wecksler

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

Objective

To determine whether a powered ankle-foot orthosis (AFO) that provides dorsiflexor and plantar flexor assistance at the ankle can improve walking endurance of persons with multiple sclerosis (MS).

Design

Short-term intervention.

Setting

University research laboratory.

Participants

Participants (N=16) with a neurologist-confirmed diagnosis of MS and daily use of a prescribed custom unilateral passive AFO.

Interventions

Three 6-minute walk tests (6MWTs), 1 per footwear condition: shoes (no AFO), prescribed passive AFO, and portable powered AFO (PPAFO). Assistive devices were worn on the impaired limb.

Main Outcome Measures

Distance walked and metabolic cost of transport were recorded during each 6MWT and …

Validation Of The Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire Classification Coding System Using Accelerometry In Multiple Sclerosis, Robert W. Motl, Rachel E. Bollaert, Brian M. Sandroff

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

Objective: There have been recent efforts toward creating a health contribution score (HCS) from the Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire (GLTEQ) that reflects public-health guidelines for levels of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). The HCS yields categories of insufficiently active (less substantial or low benefits), moderately active (some benefits), and active (substantial benefits). The present study examined the validity of the GLTEQ HCS and its categories as reflecting levels of MVPA in multiple sclerosis (MS). Method: The sample included 684 persons with MS. Participants wore an accelerometer on an elastic belt around the waist above the nondominant hip during the waking hours …

Girls In The Boat: Sex Differences In Rowing Performance And Participation, Kevin G. Keenan, Jonathon Senefeld, Sandra K. Hunter

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

Men outperform women in many athletic endeavors due to physiological and anatomical differences (e.g. larger and faster muscle); however, the observed sex differences in elite athletic performance are typically larger than expected, and may reflect sex-related differences in opportunity or incentives. As collegiate rowing in the United States has been largely incentivized for women over the last 20 years, but not men, the purpose of this study was to examine sex differences in elite rowing performance over that timeframe. Finishing times from grand finale races for collegiate championship on-water performances (n = 480) and junior indoor performances (n = 1,280) …

Contraction Intensity And Sex Differences In Knee-Extensor Fatigability, Paul Ansdell, Kevin Thomas, Glyn Howatson, Sandra K. Hunter, Stuart Goodall

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

Females are less fatigable than males during isometric contractions across various muscles and intensities. However, sex differences in knee-extensor fatigability remain relatively unexplored. Purpose: To determine the sex difference in performance fatigability for intermittent, isometric contractions of the knee-extensor muscles. Methods: Eighteen participants (10 males, 8 females) performed intermittent, isometric, knee-extensor contractions at 30% of their maximal voluntary force (MVC) for 30 min and in a separate session at 50% MVC until task-failure. During both fatiguing protocols a MVC was performed every 60 s and electromyography (EMG) was recorded during all contractions. Results: At task completion males had a larger …

Physiological Response To Firefighting Activities Of Various Work Cycles Using Extended Duration And Prototype Scba, Richard M. Kesler, Ipek Ensari, Rachel E. Bollaert, Robert W. Motl, Elizabeth T. Hsiao-Wecksler, Karl S. Rosengren, Bo Fernhall, Denise L. Smith, Gavin P. Horn

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

Firefighters’ self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) protects the respiratory system during firefighting but increases the physiological burden. Extended duration SCBA (>30 min) have increased air supply, potentially increasing the duration of firefighting work cycles. To examine the effects of SCBA configuration and work cycle (length and rest), 30 firefighters completed seven trials using different SCBA and one or two bouts of simulated firefighting following work cycles common in the United States. Heart rate, core temperature, oxygen consumption, work output and self-reported perceptions were recorded during all activities. Varying SCBA resulted in few differences in these parameters. However, during a second …

Physical Activity Modulates Corticospinal Excitability Of The Lower Limb In Young And Old Adults, Hamidollah Hassanlouei, Christopher W. Sundberg, Ashleigh E. Smith, Andrew Kuplic, Sandra K. Hunter

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

Aging is associated with reduced neuromuscular function, which may be due in part to altered corticospinal excitability. Regular physical activity (PA) may ameliorate these age-related declines, but the influence of PA on corticospinal excitability is unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of age, sex, and PA on corticospinal excitability by comparing the stimulus-response curves of motor evoked potentials (MEP) in 28 young (22.4 ± 2.2 yr; 14 women and 14 men) and 50 old adults (70.2 ± 6.1 yr; 22 women and 28 men) who varied in activity levels. Transcranial magnetic stimulation was used to …

Sex Differences In Spatial Accuracy Relate To The Neural Activation Of Antagonistic Muscles In Young Adults, Agostina Casamento-Moran, Sandra K. Hunter, Yen-Ting Chen, Min-Hyuk Kwon, Emily J. Fox, Basma Yacoubi, Evangelos A. Christou

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

Sex is an important physiological variable of behavior, but its effect on motor control remains poorly understood. Some evidence suggests that women exhibit greater variability during constant contractions and poorer accuracy during goal-directed tasks. However, it remains unclear whether motor output variability or altered muscle activation impairs accuracy in women. Here, we examine sex differences in endpoint accuracy during ankle goal-directed movements and the activity of the antagonistic muscles. Ten women (23.1 ± 5.1 years) and 10 men (23 ± 3.7 years) aimed to match a target (9° in 180 ms) with ankle dorsiflexion. Participants performed 50 trials and we …

Cardio-Protection Afforded By Β-Blockade Is Maintained During Resistance Exercise, Alexander V. Ng, Jason M. Conviser, Shawn S. Rockey, D. Paul Thomas

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

Objectives

Whether or not the cardio-protective effect of β-adrenergic blockade is retained during resistance exercise has not been systematically evaluated. Therefore the purpose of this study was to measure selected cardiorespiratory responses to isometric exercise involving hand-gripping, single-leg extension, or double-leg dead-lift, under placebo (control), β₁-selective (atenolol), and non-selective (propranolol) adrenergic blockade conditions.

Design

Eleven young male adults were evaluated in a randomized, double-blinded, repeated measures study design and performed all three exercise modalities at 30% of maximal voluntary contraction under placebo, atenolol and propranolol conditions.

Methods

Heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, rate-pressure product, oxygen uptake, …

Wellness And Multiple Sclerosis: The National Ms Society Establishes A Wellness Research Working Group And Research Priorities, Robert W. Motl, Ellen M. Mowry, Dawn M. Ehde, Nicholas G. Larocca, Kathy E. Smith, Kathleen Costello, Lynne Shinto, Alexander V. Ng, Amy B. Sullivan, Barbara Geisser, Kevin K. Mccully, Bo Fernhall, Malachy Bishop, Matthew Plow, Patrizia Casaccia, Nancy D. Chiaravalloti

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

Background:

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) have identified “wellness” and associated behaviors as a high priority based on “social media listening” undertaken by the National MS Society (i.e. the Society).

Objective:

The Society recently convened a group that consisted of researchers with experience in MS and wellness-related research, Society staff members, and an individual with MS for developing recommendations regarding a wellness research agenda.

Method:

The members of the group engaged in focal reviews and discussions involving the state of science within three approaches for promoting wellness in MS, namely diet, exercise, and emotional wellness.

Results:

That process informed a …