Step it Up: An Exercise and Behaviour Change Programme for People With Multiple Sclerosis

In addition to the same exercise intervention as the control group, this group will receive a behaviour change intervention. This will be delivered after each exercise session and will incorporate the elements: self-efficacy, outcome expectations, impediments and goal-setting. On the weeks when the participants do not attend group sessions, they will receive telephone calls from physiotherapists. This will consist of guided conversations that consider content delivered in previous sessions.

The control group will receive exercise and education components. The exercise intervention includes aerobic \& strengthening components and are in line with MS exercise guidelines (Latimer-Cheung et al 2013). The aerobic activity is walking, measured using pedometers \& exercise logs. The strengthening programme consists of 10 exercises targeting major muscle groups for the upper and lower extremities using elastic resistance band. Over the 10-week programme participants will attend 6 group exercise class, supplemented with telephone calls in the weeks without classes. After each group exercise class this group will receive an education session about the following: diet, vitamin D, sleep, temperature and hydration, and immunisations and vaccinations.