Effects of COVID-19 "sheltering in Place" on Activity in People with Multiple Sclerosis

Abstract

People with neurologic conditions that impairmobility such as multiple sclerosis (MS) have low levels of physical activity, with walking as their primary form of exercise.1 3 When the San Francisco Bay Area shelter-in-place order was announced in mid-March 2020 to flatten the curve of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARSCoV- 2) infections, the abrupt closure of gyms, fitness studios, and malls greatly limited options for safe exercise.We leveraged an ongoing study using wearable technology to understand the impact of the shelter-in-place policy on physical activity in people with MS (PwMS) at risk for neurologic worsening.