Body-weight supported treadmill or total body recumbent stepper for mobility-adapted cardiopulmonary exercise testing in multiple sclerosis patients with varying disability.
Saman Hadjizadeh Anvar, Liam P Kelly, Caitlin Newell and 3 others
PMID 41868964WHAT IT FOUND
People with multiple sclerosis achieved similar peak oxygen uptake on both a recumbent stepper and a supported treadmill, but more met criteria for a maximal test on the stepper.
Half could not finish the treadmill due to leg symptoms. The stepper may be more reliable for assessing fitness in those with mobility disability.
Key findings
01People with MS achieved similar V̇O2max on both devices, but 9 of 10 met maximal test criteria on the recumbent stepper compared to 6 of 10 on the supported treadmill.
02Half of the participants with MS could not continue walking on the supported treadmill due to leg weakness, pain or fatigue, preventing determination of their true maximal oxygen uptake.
03In the subgroup with greater mobility disability, participants achieved more criteria for a maximal test on the recumbent stepper (13 of 20 possible) than on the treadmill (5 of 20).
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The sample size was very small (10 participants with MS), so the results are exploratory and cannot be generalized to all people with MS. Participants were recruited from a single clinic and were not randomly selected, which may bias the results. Half of the MS group could not complete the treadmill test, which limits the ability to fully compare the two devices. The study included a wide range of disability levels, making it difficult to pinpoint exactly how disability interacts with test performance.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The research was funded by MS Canada, the Canada Research Chairs Program, and the Canada Foundation for Innovation.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that the recumbent stepper is a better exercise modality for improving fitness. This study only compared how well each device measured existing fitness levels. The stepper was more reliable for getting a valid test result in people with mobility issues, but it does not mean the stepper is the best way to train them.
Summarised by AI from the full paper, without a clinician reviewing it. Check it against the source before it changes what you do. Read it on PubMed →