INFLUENCE OF CORE STABILITY EXERCISE AND VITAMIN D ON PHYSICAL SELF-CONCEPT AND PHYSICAL FITNESS STATUS IN YOUNG WOMEN WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS

Abstract

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an emerging neurological disease for which vitamin D deficiency can be a risk factor. Considering the reduction of physical fitness and self-concept in MS patients, the present study was conducted to determine the effect of core stability exercises and vitamin D consumption on physical self-concept and fitness status in young women with MS. Methods: In a prospective randomized clinical trial, 36 young women with MS (aged 32.72 ± 6.57 years old) were randomly divided into four groups: supplementation alone (SUP; n = 9), exercise alone (EXE; n = 8), both supplementation and exercise (SUP + EXE; n = 9), and control (CON; n = 10). All four groups completed the physical self-description questionnaire (PSDQ) before and after the interventions. The SUP group received 1500 IU of vitamin D every two weeks, and the exercise groups performed core stability exercises three sessions per week for eight weeks. For estimating the physical fitness, muscular power, flexibility, physical coordination, and balance were measured before and after the intervention. Results: There was a significant difference in physical self-concept between the four groups. The SUP + EXE group had the highest physical self-concept after treatment (203.44 ± 14.55) and the SUP group showed the lowest physical self-concept (164.44 ± 28.33). Total physical fitness Z scores of SUP + EXE and EXE groups were the highest scores between the four groups (4.95 ± 2.18 and 1.12 ± 2.28, respectively). Moreover, scores of the SUP + EXE group increased significantly compared to the control group in terms of physical self-concept, muscular power, muscular perseverance, flexibility, physical coordination, and physical balance (P = 0.003, P = 0.002, P = 0.001, P = 0.001, P = 0.001, and P = 0.001, respectively). Furthermore, physical fitness indicated a significant positive correlation with physical selfconcept (P = 0.002, r = 0.498). Conclusion: The findings demonstrated that core stability exercise, preferably along with vitamin D supplementation, can be prescribed to improve the physical fitness and self-concept of MS patients.