Finding Your Stride: Navigating Running With Multiple Sclerosis. A Qualitative Study.
A qualitative study involving 18 participants with multiple sclerosis explored their experiences with running. Most participants ran three days a week for an average of 42 minutes per session. The study identified six key themes relating to their running experiences, including abilities, temperature management, safety concerns, health management, support strategies, and motivation to run.
- Tags
- #MSResearch
- Most relevant to
- —
- Human efficacy
- Not established from this source
- Mechanism
- Not reported
- Evidence strength
- Limited
- Outcome
- Not reported
Why it matters
This research sheds light on the running habits and challenges faced by individuals with multiple sclerosis, offering insights into how they adapt their fitness routines. Understanding these experiences could inform further studies on exercise and MS.
What this does not prove
The study is qualitative, focusing on personal experiences instead of clinical outcomes, limiting the ability to draw broad conclusions about running's impact on MS health.
Next milestone
No next milestone was established from the available source.
Study facts
- Study design
- Observational
- Participants / samples
- 18 · basis not reported
- Randomised
- Not reported
- Controlled
- Not reported
- Primary endpoint met
- Not reported
- Relevant MS type
- Not reported
- Publication date
- 2026-03-09
- Evidence reviewed
- Abstract only
- Regulatory approval
- Not reported
- Research areas
- Not classified
- Biological target
- Not reported
- Pathway
- Not reported
- Population
- Not reported
- Size of effect
- Not reported
- Secondary endpoints
- Not reported
- MRI endpoints
- Not reported
- Biomarkers
- Not reported
- Safety
- Not reported
Original sources
- Primary evidenceFinding Your Stride: Navigating Running With Multiple Sclerosis. A Qualitative Study. ↗DOI: 10.7224/1537-2073.2025-025
Supporting passages (7)
study designMETHODS: A qualitative descriptive study was conducted using semistructured focus groups and individual interviews.
subjectsParticipants included individuals with MS living in Australia who ran regularly.
sample sizeRESULTS: Eighteen participants (3 male, 15 female) with a median age of 44 years (IQR, 12.8; range, 31-57) were included in the study.
findingsRESULTS: Eighteen participants (3 male, 15 female) with a median age of 44 years (IQR, 12.8; range, 31-57) were included in the study. Most participants met or exceeded the general MS aerobic exercise guidelines, running 3 days per week (IQR, 2.0; range, 1-4) for a median duration of 42 minutes per run (IQR, 25; range, 15-243). Five focus groups and 1 individual interview were conducted. Six themes were generated: running ability and adaptation, navigating temperature, ensuring environmental safety, managing health and MS, developing strategies to support running, and the need to run.
publication datePublication date: 2026-03-09
limitationsTitle: Finding Your Stride: Navigating Running With Multiple Sclerosis. A Qualitative Study.
peer reviewedPublication types: Journal Article
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