Background: Although physical rehabilitation is commonly administered to MS
patients, its efficacy has not been established. Objective: We assessed th
e efficacy of an inpatient physical rehabilitation program on impairment, d
isability, and quality of life of MS patients with a randomized, single-bli
nd, controlled trial. Methods: Fifty ambulatory MS patients were assigned t
o 3 weeks of inpatient physical rehabilitation (study treatment) or exercis
es performed at home (control treatment). Patients were evaluated at baseli
ne and at 3, 9, and 15 weeks by a blinded examining physician. Results: No
changes in impairment occurred in either group, as measured by the Expanded
Disability Status Scale. At the end of the intervention the study group im
proved significantly in disability, as assessed by the Functional Independe
nce Measure (FIM) motor domain, compared with controls (p = 0.004), and the
improvement persisted at 9 weeks (p = 0.001). The effect size statistic wa
s usually large or moderate in all scale scores of the FIM motor domain at
3 weeks and moderate to fair thereafter. The study group also improved in o
verall health-related quality of life profile compared with controls; howev
er, the difference was significant only for the mental composite score at 3
(p = 0.008) and 9 weeks (p = 0.001). Conclusions: Despite unchanging impai
rment, physical rehabilitation resulted in an improvement in disability and
had a positive impact on mental components of health-related quality of li
fe perception at 3 and 9 weeks.