Suitability of High-Intensity Interval Training for people with Multiple Sclerosis: a scoping review
Eksymä, Viivi (2025)
2025
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-202501282002
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-202501282002
Tiivistelmä
For years, people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS) were told to avoid physical activity and exercising due to risk of symptom exacerbation. Nowadays exercise is essential part of rehabilitation and clinical management of the disease. Nevertheless, recommended intensity has generally been restricted to moderate-level at highest.
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) has become fundamental part of endurance athletes’ training. Larger volume of training at high-intensity and needed boost for performance is enhanced with HIIT. Several benefits of HIIT have also been found in health context. For example, reduction in post-operative complications and decreased risk of cardiovascular disease have been reported.
Aim of the study was to find out suitability of high-intensity interval training for pwMS. Objectives were to explore possible benefits and adverse effects of HIIT for pwMS. Finally, a recommendation of suitable HIIT-program for pwMS was formed.
Scoping review approach was chosen to gather existing evidence of the subject. Data search for the review covered four databases: Cinahl, Pubmed, Medline and Cochrane. Eight articles were finally included from the official datasearch and one from manual search covering author’s own archives. Data was then extracted by using an extraction table in Excel.
Increased cardiorespiratory fitness, improvements in parts of cognitive performance and anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective changes in serum biomarkers were beneficial effects of HIIT for pwMS. In addition, HIIT generated sense of achievement, improved energy levels and ability to cope. Conflicting results indicated that HIIT might reduce fatigue or at least not worsen it. On the other hand, overexertion, symptom exacerbation and nausea were adverse effects experienced when participating in HIIT intervention. HIIT can be concluded to be suitable exercise modality for some pwMS although risk for short-term discomfort and symptom exacerbation exists. Appropriate intensity is 85-100% of HRmax or 70-90% of peak power (RPE=hard or very hard) for work bout and 50-60% of HRmax or 0-50% of peak power (RPE=very comfortable) for rest interval.
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) has become fundamental part of endurance athletes’ training. Larger volume of training at high-intensity and needed boost for performance is enhanced with HIIT. Several benefits of HIIT have also been found in health context. For example, reduction in post-operative complications and decreased risk of cardiovascular disease have been reported.
Aim of the study was to find out suitability of high-intensity interval training for pwMS. Objectives were to explore possible benefits and adverse effects of HIIT for pwMS. Finally, a recommendation of suitable HIIT-program for pwMS was formed.
Scoping review approach was chosen to gather existing evidence of the subject. Data search for the review covered four databases: Cinahl, Pubmed, Medline and Cochrane. Eight articles were finally included from the official datasearch and one from manual search covering author’s own archives. Data was then extracted by using an extraction table in Excel.
Increased cardiorespiratory fitness, improvements in parts of cognitive performance and anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective changes in serum biomarkers were beneficial effects of HIIT for pwMS. In addition, HIIT generated sense of achievement, improved energy levels and ability to cope. Conflicting results indicated that HIIT might reduce fatigue or at least not worsen it. On the other hand, overexertion, symptom exacerbation and nausea were adverse effects experienced when participating in HIIT intervention. HIIT can be concluded to be suitable exercise modality for some pwMS although risk for short-term discomfort and symptom exacerbation exists. Appropriate intensity is 85-100% of HRmax or 70-90% of peak power (RPE=hard or very hard) for work bout and 50-60% of HRmax or 0-50% of peak power (RPE=very comfortable) for rest interval.