Art for MS: Effects of a 10 week multimodal dance and art intervention program on fatigue, fatigability and their related factors - A controlled pilot-trial

Abstract

Persons with MS (pwMS) often suffer from motor and cognitive disabilities, but one of the most disabling symptoms is fatigue. Fatigue can have many effects on a person’s quality of life and active lifestyle. Fatigability is a part of the term fatigue which is effort dependent and thus can be influenced by activity. Fatigability, like fatigue, has a motor and a cognitive component and can therefore be influenced on many levels. This research has focused on whether fatigability and fatigue can be improved using a multimodal approach, such as a choreographed dance intervention. Furthermore, the effects on physical capacity such as gait, strength, coordination and balance; cognitive capacity such as working memory; dual tasking; sensory function and health-related quality of life were investigated. A dance intervention seems to improve fatigue, physical and cognitive capacity and dual tasking. An art intervention has effects on fatigue and dual tasking.