The comparision of effect of 8 weeks aerobic and yoga training on physiological cost index in multiple sclerosis patients

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a demyelinating disease of the central nervous system that results in many symptoms. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of 8 weeks aerobic and yoga training on physiological cost index (PCI) in MS patients. Subjects and Thirty women with MS (aged 19-54 years) with Expanded Disability Status Scale score of 1. 0 to 4. 0 (EDSS)، were randomly assigned to one of three groups (n=10 in each group) lasting 8 weeks: treadmill training، yoga or a waiting-list control group. Treadmill training consisted of 8-weeks (24 sessions) of treadmill training (30 minutes)، at 40 - 75% of age-predicted maximum heart rate. Yoga group subjects participated in a thrice weekly 60-70 minute sessions of Hatha yoga intervention for 8-weeks. The control group followed their own routine treatment program. Energy expenditure was measured by PCI in the pre- and post-intervention. These results indicate both treadmill training (P=0. 00) and yoga (P=0. 03) produced a significant improvement on PCI. Furthermore، improvement in PCI was more significantly greater in treadmill training than yoga training group (P<0. 01). These results suggest that both training methods are effective in improving PCI in MS patients. However، aerobic treadmill training is more effective than yoga practice in improvement of PCI in people with mild to moderate MS.