Researchers at the University of Limerick (UL) began recruiting people with multiple sclerosis (MS) into the 'Step It Up' exercise and education programme in September 2014. The aim of the 10-week programme is to have a positive impact on many MS symptoms such as reduced muscle strength, reduced walking mobility, fatigue and low mood, while also promoting long-term and sustainable management of the condition. It targets people with MS who are able to walk independently and who are physically inactive.
Recruitment for 'Step It Up' finished at the end of May 2015 and over 65 people with MS enrolled in the programme between Galway, Limerick and Cork. The participants are seeing the benefits of exercising consistently on a weekly basis under the guidance of Chartered Physiotherapists. Speaking about her experience of the Step it Up programme, one participant said:
“It was excellent, very good. I found it very helpful, and everybody who was involved was so informative”.
Another participant reported that “you learn from other peoples’ experiences… you get tips about how they motivate themselves to get out and do the walking, or do the exercise”.
Recruitment for the programme has now finished. Participants who have already enrolled in the programme will undergo follow-up assessments over a 9 month period. When all the information has been collected (February 2016), the researchers at UL will collate the results of all the participants and publish the findings outlining the effectiveness of the programme.