The Benefits of Exercise: A Look at MS and Leukemia Patients

Fitness is currently a popular topic of discussion, specifically as it applies to increasing physical endurance and strength. While many healthy adults view regular exercise as just a way of staying fit, for others it may actually increase their chances of living a normal life. Specifically, regular exercise is proving to be an effective means of countering some of the side effects of multiple sclerosis and leukemia, as shown in several studies from facilities including the University of North Carolina, Vrije Universiteit Medical Centre in the Netherlands, and Sheffield Hallam University in the UK.

How Does Multiple Sclerosis and Leukemia Affect Patients?

Multiple sclerosis patients suffer from a variety of symptoms, including weakness and fatigue, especially in the legs and lower back. The same may be said of leukemia patients, as fatigue is one of the main side effects for patients undergoing treatments. And while at first glance it might seem cruel punishment to ask patients suffering from these diseases to physically exert themselves, recent studies have begun to show significant positive effects as a result of regular exercise.

Regular Exercise Benefits

Any health professional will agree that regular exercise is part of maintaining a healthy way of life. Regular exercise improves the metabolism, stimulates blood flow, and reduces the chances of obesity by burning fat and calories. Most importantly for this study is the aspect of long-term regular exercise and its overall effect on mobility, increased stamina and energy. Once the body has acclimated to a regular exercise regime it begins performing at a higher level of efficiency, stimulating emotional well being through regulation of the body’s core functions.

Exercise and the Leukemia Patient

One of the most recent studies on exercise and its effect on fatigue in leukemia patients was conducted by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Their findings – published in the Integrative Cancer Therapies Journal – showed that regular exercise for leukemia patients could be a way to combat both their fatigue and depression. The researchers from the Department of Exercise and Sport Science, as well as the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, combined their resources to create the EQUAL program: Exercise and Quality of Life for Leukemia/Lymphoma Patients. The research showed that physical activity can greatly improve symptoms related to fatigue and depression by increasing cardiovascular endurance and improving the overall quality of life for patients who are continuing treatment for the disease.

In the first EQUAL trial, 10 patients participated. The overall goal of the program was to assign each patient an exercise program that took into account the level of their sickness combined with their overall physical condition. Each patient was supplied with exercise equipment that was specially treated in order to minimize the risk of outside infection. During the three to five week induction phase of the leukemia treatment, patients participated in individualized exercise sessions which were broken down into core exercises, aerobic and resistance exercises, and light stretching. These were designed specifically to introduce the patients to a regular exercise routine, which they then continued at home during their two-week recovery period. For each patient, researchers tested and monitored heart rate, blood pressure, hemoglobin levels, body weight and height, composition, muscular endurance, and cardio-respiratory fitness, while at the same time monitoring psychological aspects such as fatigue, depression, and quality of life. Blood samples were consistently taken.

According to Claudio Battaglini, PhD., one of the leading researchers on the project and Assistant Professor of Exercise and Sports Medicine at UNC Lineberger, “We found that the patients experienced significant reduction in total fatigue and depression scores, as well as improved cardio-respiratory endurance and maintenance of muscular endurance. This is important because of the numerous side effects related to cancer treatment, and particularly leukemia treatment, which requires patients to be confined to a hospital room for 4 to 6 weeks to avoid the risk of infection. We have demonstrated that these patients not only can complete an exercise program in the hospital, but that they may receive both physiological and psychological benefits that could assist in their recovery.”

Phase two of EQUAL is currently in development. The follow-up program will be comprised of randomized clinically controlled trials to assess the effects of individualized exercise prescriptions on acute leukemia patients versus patients who are receiving standardized treatment. If the results prove to be positive, the research team hopes to expand the trial by developing a multisite research program involving other cancer centers throughout the United States.

Exercise and Multiple Sclerosis

In 2005 Dr. Bernard Uitdehaag and several colleagues from the Vrije Universiteit Medical Centre in the Netherlands conducted exercise therapy experiments to observe how regular exercise affects patients with the degenerative disease. Their findings, published in the January issue of the Cochrane Library Newsletter, showed evidence-based conclusions that theorized the possible side effects of regular exercise. In 2009, Sheffield Hallam University was awarded a research grant to investigate the theoretical research put forward in 2005. The MS Society awarded the grant to the University’s Centre for Sport and Exercise Science, and according to the lead researcher, Dr. John Saxton, the program “will tackle some important questions, the answers to which we hope will not only help people with MS, but also the organizations which must budget for the treatment”. The current plan for the program is to encompass a 12 week exercise regimen that will measure physical activity, aerobic function, physical function, and health-related quality of life before and after implementation, as well as a three month continual appraisal after the plan to determine whether or not the benefits are sustainable over time.

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