With Yoga and Aquafit against MS symptoms

Physical activity can positively affect certain symptoms of multiple sclerosis: Patients who practice yoga and aquafit suffer less from fatigue, depression and skin tingling, as a Swiss study shows.

Yoga relieves MS symptoms. Image: JenkoAtaman - fotolia

In a randomized trial, researchers from Basel and Kermanshah, Iran, showed that after eight weeks of intervention with Yoga and Aquafit, these MS symptoms improved markedly: fatigue, depression, and paresthesia decreased significantly after training three times a week in the control group. The non-physically active group was 35 times more likely to have moderate to severe depression than those who ran Yoga or Aquafit.

The study involved 54 women diagnosed with MS at the median age of 34 who participated in three groups: yoga, aquafit or no physical activity. Before and after the intervention, patients had to complete questionnaires on the symptoms. Their existing therapies - including drugs that act on immune regulation - remained unchanged during the study. The studies can be found here. (Pm)