Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Physical Activity and Associated Technology Use in Persons With Multiple Sclerosis: An International RIMS-SIG Mobility Survey Study.
Lousin Moumdjian, Tori Smedal, Ellen Christin Arntzen and 12 others
PMID 35760106WHAT IT FOUND
Physical activity dropped significantly in people with MS during the pandemic, driven by lost access to gyms and pools.
Walking increased and remained the top choice. Most people disliked purely remote care, preferring in-person or hybrid support once restrictions lifted.
Key findings
01The proportion of respondents conducting physical activity decreased significantly from 83% before the pandemic to 75% during the pandemic.
02Activity at moderate and high intensity decreased during the pandemic, while light intensity remained stable.
03Among those who were physically active during the pandemic, 44% did not want to change their activity levels once restrictions were lifted, and 31% preferred in-person delivery.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study is self-reported and cross-sectional, relying on participants' memory of prepandemic habits rather than objective measurement. There was a high proportion of respondents from Norway (2218 of 3725), though the authors state this did not markedly skew the international data. The survey was conducted during a specific phase of the pandemic (May-July 2021), so local restrictions varied significantly, with 72% of respondents reporting no local restrictions at the time. The analysis of associations between stopping activity and specific factors like disease severity or fear of infection was not reported in this paper. Open-ended responses were not collected in Norway due to ethical considerations, limiting qualitative depth in that subgroup.
Declared interests
The authors declare no conflicts of interest. The study was initiated by the Special Interest Group for Mobility of Rehabilitation in Multiple Sclerosis (RIMS-SIG).
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the increase in walking as evidence that patients have maintained their overall fitness levels. Moderate and high-intensity activity dropped significantly, and walking alone may not compensate for the loss of strength and aerobic training previously done in gyms or pools.