Do internet resources align with exercise training and physical activity guidelines for people with multiple sclerosis?

Abstract

Background: Exercise training and lifestyle physical activity have been identified as evidence-based approaches for improving symptoms and quality of life among persons with multiple sclerosis (MS). Such evidence supported the development of physical activity guidelines (PAGs) for people with MS. The goal of such guidelines involved broad dissemination and uptake, as there is substantial evidence for low rates of participation in exercise training and physical activity in this population. Objective: The current study evaluated the quality and consistency of information on webpages for physical activity against the established PAGs for people with MS. Method: The search was conducted in September 2020 using the Google search engine for webpages containing physical activity information for people with MS. We evaluated the webpages with a list of 18 guidelines for adults with MS based on recommendations from three resources. Results: The search yielded 157 webpages, of which 27 met the inclusion criteria. On average, webpages accurately addressed only 5 of the 18 guidelines. The most commonly addressed guidelines involved MS-specific symptom identification (n = 26), and example modalities for aerobic (n = 20) and strength (n = 16) training. Conclusion: Many online recourses regarding physical activity and exercise training for MS were either inconsistent with the established PAGs or did not address the guidelines.