Interval walking showed a fitness signal in a small multiple sclerosis pilot
A randomized pilot found larger gains in peak oxygen consumption with interval walking, while its abstract leaves symptom and everyday walking benefits unresolved.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
The interval-walking group improved more in peak oxygen consumption than the continuous-walking group. Everyone completed the training sessions, and no adverse events were reported. These findings support feasibility and a preliminary aerobic-fitness benefit in the selected participants. The abstract does not report whether fatigue, cognition or everyday walking performance improved more with interval training.
This pilot included very few participants. The abstract gives no confidence intervals or post-training follow-up, and observing no adverse events in this small group cannot establish safety for broader use.
What researchers found
Peak oxygen consumption
Interval versus moderate continuous walking, respectively, from before to after 12 sessions. These are reported percentage changes in an aerobic-fitness measure.
Feasibility was a central question
Researchers measured participation and training completion alongside physical outcomes. High completion and adherence help answer whether this protocol can be carried out, but do not establish that it improves every symptom studied.
Training intensity differs from recovery
The reported walking speeds and heart-rate levels describe training intensity. They are not presented as post-training gains in everyday walking; the abstract's clear between-group outcome is the change in peak oxygen consumption.
The original publication
Feasibility and efficacy of peak-velocity interval training vs. moderate-intensity walking training in people with multiple sclerosis with severe fatigue and walking impairment: A pilot randomized controlled trial.
Cleland BT, Jeng B, Brown N et al.
Mult Scler Relat Disord · 2026
- PubMed ID
- 41418486
- Record checked
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