STIM-MS
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A randomised controlled feasibility study investigating surface neuromuscular STIMulation as an exercise therapy versus usual care in people with Multiple Sclerosis to help improve lower limb strength, walking and fatigue (STIM-MS)
IRAS ID
341925
Contact name
Fraser Philp
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Liverpool
ISRCTN Number
ISRCTN57749443
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 5 months, 30 days
Research summary
In Multiple sclerosis (MS), the body mistakenly attacks and damages the brain and nerves. MS stays with you for life and can get worse over time. Muscle tiredness, weakness and balance problems can stop people walking. Exercise can help, but a lot of people find exercising difficult because of tiredness, balance, needing help and confidence.
Muscle stimulation could offer a way to help people with MS exercise more. Muscle stimulation can be used at home and makes muscles contract, like exercising with weights. This is done using sticky pads on the skin and painless electrical signals. Muscle stimulation could stop a downward spiral of worsening muscle weakness, walking ability, physical activity, and tiredness, keeping people walking independently for longer.
The aim of this study is to gather information to plan a large study to see if muscle stimulation for people with MS strengthens muscles, improves walking, helps with tiredness, and reduces muscle spasms.
Before we can run a large study, we are carrying out a small study to find out:
•If people with MS would take part
•What outcome matters most to them
•If they use the muscle stimulation equipment regularly
•If people stay in the study
This will help us decide if we can do the large future study and what needs to be changed.We aim to involve 50 people with MS from two hospital clinics in Liverpool and Wolverhampton. Half (decided at random by a computer) will get muscle stimulation plus the care they usually receive. They will be given the muscle stimulation equipment to use at home on their legs for 12-weeks. The other half will continue with their usual care. Everyone will have their muscle strength, walking, spasms and levels of tiredness measured at the start, 3- and 6-months.
We will ask both study groups, carers and clinicians about their experiences of the study.
REC name
North West - Greater Manchester South Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
25/NW/0039
Date of REC Opinion
20 Feb 2025
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion