FES Cycling for Multiple Sclerosis

Recruiting in Palo Alto (17 mi)

Overseen by Lara Pilutti, PhD

Age: 18 - 65

Sex: Any

Travel: May Be Covered

Time Reimbursement: Varies

Trial Phase: Academic

Waitlist Available

Sponsor: University of Ottawa

Approved in 3 Jurisdictions

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial tests whether using electrical impulses to stimulate muscles during cycling can help people with MS who have trouble moving. The goal is to see if this approach can improve muscle strength and mobility better than current treatments.

Do I have to stop taking my current medications for the trial?

The trial protocol does not specify if you need to stop taking your current medications, but you must not have used dalfampridine in the past month.

What data supports the idea that FES Cycling for Multiple Sclerosis is an effective treatment?

The available research shows that FES Cycling can be an effective treatment for people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), especially those who cannot walk. Studies indicate that FES Cycling helps reduce fatigue and improve the quality of life for these individuals. It also has positive effects on cognition, pain, and overall health-related quality of life. Additionally, FES Cycling is considered safe and beneficial for people with significant weakness and mobility challenges due to MS. This suggests that FES Cycling can be a valuable exercise option for managing symptoms and enhancing well-being in people with MS. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

What safety data is available for FES cycling in MS patients?

The safety of FES cycling for individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) has been evaluated in several studies. These studies indicate that FES cycling is a safe exercise option for people with MS, including those who are nonambulatory. Research has focused on the safety, feasibility, and potential benefits of FES cycling, such as improvements in fatigue, pain, spasticity, and quality of life. Overall, FES cycling is considered a safe and beneficial exercise modality for individuals with moderate-to-severe MS. ^{1 2 4 5 6}

Is FES Cycling Exercise a promising treatment for people with Multiple Sclerosis?

Yes, FES Cycling Exercise is a promising treatment for people with Multiple Sclerosis. It helps reduce fatigue, improve quality of life, and offers a safe exercise option for those with significant mobility challenges. ^{1 2 4 6 7}

Research Team

Lara Pilutti, PhD

Principal Investigator

University of Ottawa

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for people with Multiple Sclerosis who can visit the University of Ottawa for sessions, have an EDSS score between 5.0 and 7.0, haven't had a relapse in the last month, been on stable MS therapies for six months, are not pregnant or have conditions like epilepsy that make FES unsafe.

Inclusion Criteria

I don't have symptoms affecting my daily activities.

Willing to come to the University of Ottawa to complete testing and training sessions

Happy to come to University of Ottawa for testing and training.

Exclusion Criteria

You have a medical condition or device that makes it unsafe for you to receive FES treatment, such as epilepsy, a pacemaker, implanted defibrillator, unstable fracture, or pregnancy.

I have taken dalfampridine in the last month.

I have been diagnosed with a neurological condition.

Treatment Details

Interventions

• FES Cycling Exercise (Other)
• Passive Leg Cycling (Other)

Trial Overview The study is examining if using Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) cycling can help manage mobility problems caused by MS better than just passive leg cycling. Participants will be tested to see if this exercise strategy has long-term benefits.

Participant Groups

Group I: FES Cycling Exercise Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

FES cycling will involve systematic, transcutaneous electrical stimulation of the leg muscles to produce leg-cycling movement. The intensity and duration of training will be prescribed based on guidelines for aerobic exercise training for persons with MS and from the American College of Sports Medicine, and will progressively increase across 24 weeks. Participants will be encouraged to actively cycle at a minimum cadence of \~40-50 rpm, at 40-60% VO2peak for between 10-50 minutes. The intensity of stimulation will be adjusted per leg muscle group based on sensory tolerance with the goal of maintaining pedaling action and target heart rate over the entire session. At each session, we will record the distance traveled, energy expended, power output, resistance, heart rate and rating of perceived exertion (RPE).

Group II: Passive Leg Cycling Placebo Group 1 Intervention

Passive leg cycling will involve movement of the participant's legs by the cycle ergometer motor without electrical stimulation. The duration of training will follow the same schedule as the FES cycling condition and the same data will be recorded at each session. The passive cycling condition will include the same exposure with the training facility, the exercise equipment (i.e. RT300 cycles), and the research staff (i.e. social contact and attention) as with the FES cycling condition.

FES Cycling Exercise is already approved in Canada for the following indications:

Approved in Canada as Functional Electrical Stimulation Cycling for:

• Managing mobility disability in Multiple Sclerosis
• Exercise-based rehabilitation for MS

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Ottawa

Lead Sponsor

Trials

231

Recruited

267,000+

Dr. Pardeep Nijhawan

University of Ottawa

Chief Medical Officer since 2022

MD from the University of Ottawa

Dr. Erich Mohr

University of Ottawa

Chief Executive Officer since 2015

PhD in Neuropsychology from the University of Victoria

The Ottawa Hospital

Collaborator

Trials

97

Recruited

64,000+

Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada

Collaborator

Trials

17

Recruited

990+

Findings from Research

Functional electrical stimulation (FES) cycling is a safe exercise option for nonambulatory individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS), with no adverse events reported in the training group during the 12-week study.

Participants who engaged in FES cycling showed significant improvements in fatigue and quality of life measures, including reduced fatigue scores and enhanced physical health quality of life, compared to a control group.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects of Functional Electrical Stimulation Cycling on Fatigue and Quality of Life in People with Multiple Sclerosis Who Are Nonambulatory. Backus, D., Moldavskiy, M., Sweatman, WM.[2023]

In a pilot study involving 11 adults with multiple sclerosis, functional electrical stimulation (FES) cycling showed moderate-to-large improvements in cognitive processing speed, fatigue severity, and pain symptoms after 24 weeks of exercise.

The FES cycling exercise led to clinically meaningful changes in cognitive performance and significantly reduced fatigue and pain, suggesting it could be a beneficial rehabilitation method for individuals with MS.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Functional Electrical Stimulation Cycling Exercise in People with Multiple Sclerosis: Secondary Effects on Cognition, Symptoms, and Quality of Life. Pilutti, LA., Edwards, T., Motl, RW., et al.[2023]

In a study of 40 participants with multiple sclerosis (MS) over a mean follow-up of 15 months, functional electrical stimulation (FES) cycling as part of rehabilitation showed no progression of disability on the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS).

FES cycling led to improvements or stabilization in lower extremity motor function for 75% of patients with primary progressive MS (PPMS), 71.4% with secondary progressive MS (SPMS), and 54.5% with relapsing remitting MS (RRMS), suggesting it may help preserve or enhance neurological function in MS patients.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Functional electrical stimulation as a component of activity-based restorative therapy may preserve function in persons with multiple sclerosis. Hammond, ER., Recio, AC., Sadowsky, CL., et al.[2022]

In a study involving 16 nonambulatory participants with moderate-to-severe multiple sclerosis, functional electrical stimulation (FES) cycling was found to be safe, with no adverse events reported, and it led to significant improvements in fatigue levels.

Participants experienced notable reductions in both physical and psychosocial fatigue, indicating that FES cycling could be an effective exercise option to enhance quality of life for individuals with significant mobility challenges due to MS.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Outcomes After Functional Electrical Stimulation Cycle Training in Individuals with Multiple Sclerosis Who Are Nonambulatory. Backus, D., Burdett, B., Hawkins, L., et al.[2020]

The pilot study involving 10 nonambulatory individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) demonstrated that functional electrical stimulation (FES) cycling can be safely performed, with no serious adverse events reported and only mild hypotension in two participants.

Participants showed the ability to engage in FES cycling protocols requiring varying levels of effort, with some cycling for 30 minutes, suggesting that higher effort levels may lead to greater functional benefits than previously documented in MS research.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Safety and Feasibility of Various Functional Electrical Stimulation Cycling Protocols in Individuals With Multiple Sclerosis Who Are Nonambulatory. Williams, J., Moldavskiy, M., Bauer, K., et al.[2022]

Functional electrical stimulation (FES) cycling shows promising potential as an exercise training method for individuals with moderate-to-severe multiple sclerosis (MS), with participants able to engage in sessions of about 30 minutes, 2-3 times a week, and experiencing few mild adverse events.

Preliminary evidence suggests that FES cycling may improve physiological fitness, walking mobility, and reduce symptoms of fatigue and pain in people with MS, although more high-quality randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm these benefits and establish clear exercise recommendations.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Functional Electrical Stimulation Cycling Exercise for People with Multiple Sclerosis. Pilutti, LA., Motl, RW.[2020]

Functional electrical stimulation (FES) cycling was found to be safe and well-tolerated in five patients with progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) over a six-month period, showing promising improvements in walking ability as measured by the Two Minute Walk Test and other mobility assessments.

Participants also experienced enhancements in quality of life, as indicated by improved scores on the Short-Form 36 (SF-36), suggesting that FES cycling may positively impact both physical and mental health in progressive MS patients.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A pilot study of functional electrical stimulation cycling in progressive multiple sclerosis. Ratchford, JN., Shore, W., Hammond, ER., et al.[2022]

References

1. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects of Functional Electrical Stimulation Cycling on Fatigue and Quality of Life in People with Multiple Sclerosis Who Are Nonambulatory. [2023]

2. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Functional Electrical Stimulation Cycling Exercise in People with Multiple Sclerosis: Secondary Effects on Cognition, Symptoms, and Quality of Life. [2023]

3. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Functional electrical stimulation as a component of activity-based restorative therapy may preserve function in persons with multiple sclerosis. [2022]

4. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Outcomes After Functional Electrical Stimulation Cycle Training in Individuals with Multiple Sclerosis Who Are Nonambulatory. [2020]

5. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Safety and Feasibility of Various Functional Electrical Stimulation Cycling Protocols in Individuals With Multiple Sclerosis Who Are Nonambulatory. [2022]

6. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Functional Electrical Stimulation Cycling Exercise for People with Multiple Sclerosis. [2020]

7. Netherlands pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A pilot study of functional electrical stimulation cycling in progressive multiple sclerosis. [2022]