Effect of a tailored activity pacing intervention on fatigue and physical activity behaviours in adults with multiple sclerosis

Tailored activity pacing could help manage fatigue and improve physical activity. How-ever, little is known about how to tailor activity pacing for people with multiple sclerosis. This study aims to evaluate the effect of a tailored activity pacing intervention on fatigue and physical activity behaviours in adults with multiple sclerosis. Twenty-one adults with multiple sclerosis, stratified by age and gender, are randomly allocated to either a tailored pacing or control group. Participants wear an accelerometer for seven days that measures physical activity behaviours, and self-report fatigue at the baseline and four-week follow-up. Physical activity behaviours are assessed by exam-ining activity level (seven-day average activity counts per minute) and activity variability (seven-day average highest activity counts each day divided by activity counts on that day). The intervention improves activity levels (Mean difference = 40.91; 95% Confidence Interval [CI] (3.84–77.96); p = 0.03) and lessens activity variability (Mean difference = –0.63; 95% CI (−1.25–0.02); p = 0.04). No significant effect is found for fatigue (Mean difference = –0.36; 95% CI (−1.02–0.30); p = 0.27). This investigation shows that tailoring activity pacing based on physical activity behaviours and fatigue is effective in improving physical activity levels, without exacerbating fatigue symptoms.