BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Multiple sclorosis is a disabling chronic disease of the nervous system characterized by damage to myeline in the central nervous system. The goal of this study was to understand the effect of Pilates exercise and aquatic training for a 12 week period on the muscular strength of MS patients. METHODOLOGY: Our method was semi-experimental, therefore, among the female patients visiting the MS clinic at Kashani University Hospital, Isfahan, Iran, 57 patients with disease intensity levels between 0 and 4.5 were selected as samples. The patients age ranged from 20 to 40 years with disease history period of 8 +/- 2 years. We randomly divided them into three groups, namely Pilates exercise group, aquatic training group and the control group. The exercise schedule for the experiment groups included 12 weeks, three sessions a week. Each session took one hour. 'Patients' muscle strengths were measured by a dynamometer before and after the exercise. RESULT: The adjusted mean differences of patients' dominant and non-dominant hands strengths scores in the experimental groups were significant. (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: It seems that Pilates exercise and aquatic training both significantly increase muscular strength in MS suffering women. Therefore it would be prudent to offer such activities in addition to medical treatment to provide them with a higher quality of life.

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