Pilates+4MS: Pilates Intervention for Multiple Sclerosis

12 weeks of seated Pilates twice weekly. In weeks 1-3, participants receive training on hip and shoulder cuff activation. This occurs through active isometric pressure on the stabilizing limb (not the moving limb during a Pilates movement) for 3 seconds at 30% strength using the participants' own hand (e.g., pressure on the outside of the knee with knee pressing against hand) prior to engaging in each exercise. Following the first 3 weeks, participants in the Pilates+4 group engage in the same Pilates protocol as the comparator group, however, they receive 4-quadrant cues for hip and shoulder cuff activation as they learned in weeks 1-3.

12 weeks of seated Pilates twice weekly. 18 exercises standard in Pilates instruction will be provided with standard Pilates cues (i.e., core activation, cuing the moving limb, breathing synchronization).