RecruitingNot ApplicableNCT07342777

EXpain Trial - Exercise an a Non-pharmacological Pain-relieving Treatment in People With Multiple Sclerosis

EXpain - Is Exercise an Effective Non-pharmacological Analgesic Treatment in People With Multiple Sclerosis?

Sponsor

University of Aarhus

Enrollment

116 participants

Start Date

Jan 15, 2026

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Conditions

Chronic Pain Multiple Sclerosis Neuropathic Pain

Summary

The primary goal of this study is to test whether 12 weeks of progressive resistance exercise is an effective non-pharmacological treatment for reducing pain in people with multiple sclerosis and chronic pain. The study will be a randomized controlled trial with multiple training sites. After baseline testing, participants will be randomly assigned to either a 12-week progressive resistance exercise intervention followed by a 12-week follow-up period or to a 24-week waitlist control group that receives usual care. It is hypothesized that people with multiple sclerosis and chronic pain who receive the intervention will experience greater reductions in pain (i.e., clinically relevant reductions) compared to the waitlist control group (primary hypothesis), and that this pain reduction will be preserved after a 12-week follow-up period (secondary hypothesis).

Eligibility

Min Age: 18 Years

Plain Language Summary

Simplified for easier understanding

This study is testing whether a structured exercise program can reduce chronic pain in people living with multiple sclerosis (MS). Pain is a common but often undertreated symptom of MS, and this trial looks at exercise as a non-drug alternative. **You may be eligible if...** - You are 18 or older - You have a confirmed MS diagnosis - Your average pain level is 3 or higher out of 10 - You are able to travel to the test and exercise site independently **You may NOT be eligible if...** - You are pregnant - You have diabetes or other neurological or physical conditions that would make exercise unsafe - You had an MS relapse in the past 2 months - You are at high cardiovascular risk (as assessed by sports medicine guidelines) - You have been doing structured exercise regularly (2+ sessions/week) in the past 3 months Talk to your doctor to see if this trial is right for you.

This summary was AI-generated to explain the trial in plain language. It is not medical advice. Always discuss eligibility with your doctor before enrolling in a clinical trial.

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Interventions

OTHERProgressive resistance exercise

Participants assigned to this arm will undergo 12 weeks of progressive heavy-load resistance exercise, with 5 sessions over a 2-week period (equaling a total of 30 sessions). Each session will commence with a 5-minute warm-up using a bicycle ergometer. The training program will consist of machine-based exercises, including leg press, knee extensions, hamstring curls, seated calf raises, chest press, and lateral pull-down. Progression will be ensured through an increase in the number of sets (from 3 to 4, interspersed by 1-2 minutes of rest) for each exercise along with an increment in intensity (from 15 Repetition Maximum (RM) towards 8RM.

OTHERUsual Care followed by progressive resistance exercise

Participants assigned to this arm will undergo 24 weeks of waitlist control. The control group will continue their habitual lifestyle and usual care throughout the whole period. After 24 weeks, the waitlist control group will undergo the same progressive resistance exercise regimen as described in the intervention group.