The inMotion Exercise Research study compares two approaches to helping people with MS or SCI become more physically active.
The inMotion Exercise Research study, led by Principal Investigator Charles Bombardier, PhD, at the University of Washington, compares two approaches to helping people with multiple sclerosis (MS) or spinal-cord injury (SCI) become more physically active. The study is carried out entirely by telephone, so participants may reside anywhere in the U.S.
The inMotion team will examine the effects of the intervention on overall physical activity, mood, pain, fatigue, and general health.
You may be eligible for the study if you are at least 45 years old, spend less than 21⁄2 hours per week in moderate physical activity, or have felt down, depressed, or hopeless or have little interest or pleasure in doing things you normally enjoy.
The trial will last about six months. Participants are randomly assigned to Treatment A, in which they receive 7–9 phone calls over 12 weeks to help them become more physically active, or Treatment B, where they receive a free exercise DVD and one telephone call to help them become more physically active. All participants wear a watch-sized activity monitor for one-week periods before the trial, at 12 weeks, and at 24 weeks.
“We all know we should become more physically active, but figuring out how to fit it into daily life is often difficult,” says Dr. Bombardier. “This study represents a critical step toward understanding how to help people with SCI or MS become more physically active and what the benefits are in terms of mood and other health outcomes.”
This research is conducted through the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at the University of Washington and is supported by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR).
Contact: 206-221-5641 / 866-928-2114 / agerrtc@uw.edu.
