Frame Running gives people with MS the freedom to exercise
Researchers at Queen Margaret University (QMU), Edinburgh have found that Frame Running, an adapted form of physical activity, could offer a safe new way for people with advanced Multiple Sclerosis (MS) to take part in sport and exercise.
The results of the study, suggests that Frame Running can help people with walking difficulties stay active in a way that feels both enjoyable and achievable, and which could benefit their health and wellbeing.
Frame Running involves exercise with a purpose-built trike which consists of three wheels and has a saddle and handlebars. The frame is propelled by the athlete’s feet and steered by hands or arms. Its design offers stability and support while walking or running, which may suit many people with mobility and balance issues, including people living with MS.
Frame Running has recently been included as a Para-athletic event in the 2028 Paralympic games in Los Angeles and is increasing in popularity in the UK and worldwide, with local clubs springing up across Scotland in places such as East Lothian, Edinburgh, Dunfermline, Glasgow, Ayrshire, Perthshire and Aberdeen.
The study, funded by the UK MS Society, builds on work by QMU’s Professor Marietta van der Linden, which has explored the potential of Frame Running to support mobility, cardiovascular health and personal confidence in young people with cerebral palsy. The latest study, now extends that understanding to people living with MS.
The 12 week research project, which brought participants together for weekly sessions at a local athletics track, offers an encouraging picture. It reveals new possibilities for a group that often encounters significant barriers to physical activity.
People with MS, who experience difficulties walking, often have very few ways to exercise safely outdoors at an intensity that genuinely benefits their health. Frame Running may provide people with these positive health effects, while also offering a sense of speed, freedom and confidence that many thought they had lost.
The study, which involved 10 participants, showed that Frame Running enabled most people to reach heart rate levels typically associated with moderate to vigorous exercise. Participants showed strong commitment, attending almost every session, and importantly, no serious safety issues were reported. Most participants enjoyed the experience so much that they continued attending Frame Running sessions offered by the local athletics club long after the study finished, highlighting its appeal and real-world potential.
Seeing participants reach meaningful exercise intensities was incredibly encouraging. These levels of activity are linked to improved fitness, better symptom management and enhanced quality of life - yet they’re rarely accessible to people living with significant disability.
Helen Isserlis, a former nurse from East Lothian, developed MS almost 30 years ago. With significantly declining mobility, she certainly didn’t expect to be running around a track at 59 years of age. But she recently stumbled upon Frame Running and its enabled her to take part in intensive exercise for the first time in decades. Her participation in the adapted sport has not only restored her movement, it’s offered a sense of freedom and possibility that she’d thought she’d lost.
She said: “I can’t hop, skip, jump, and I certainly can’t run. But Frame Running has changed my whole mindset. Instead of focusing on what I can’t do, I look forward to what I can do.”
Helen trains once or twice a week with Team East Lothian at Meadowmill stadium in Prestonpans.
It gets your heart rate up, your blood pumping and your legs moving. Afterwards, my hips and legs feel far looser, and my pain is reduced. I can now do intensive bursts of exercise, which would have been impossible before, and I’m working up to a 5k in one go. Frame Running has transformed what is physically possible for me. It’s restored my independence, confidence and joy. It’s made me feel alive again.
While the study was small and exploratory, the findings mark an important next step in a research journey that has already shown Frame Running to be beneficial for other disability groups.
Caitlin Astbury, Senior Research Communications Manager at the MS Society, said: “Research shows being physically active can improve mobility, muscle strength and mood, and help manage MS symptoms like balance problems and fatigue. But we also know it can be difficult for people with advanced MS to find an exercise routine that works for them."
This research from QMU provides early but promising evidence that Frame Running could be a safe and enjoyable way for people with mobility difficulties to take part in moderate to intense exercise. There are more than 17,000 people living with MS in Scotland, and over 150,000 people in the UK. The condition affects nerves in the brain and spinal cord and impacts how people move, think, and feel. Studies like this help to identify and raise awareness of different types of exercise that people with MS may benefit from. We hope to see more research in this area in the future.
Dr McEwan concluded: “This study adds to a growing body of evidence showing that Frame Running can transform what is possible for people with mobility impairments. We would therefore encourage more people with MS and other mobility issues to try Frame Running. We’d also love to see further development of Frame Running groups in the community such as within athletics clubs across Scotland and beyond, so that more people with MS have easy access to the sport, equipment and the joy and camaraderie often associated with being part of a sports club.”
To find out more about the research view the research paper.
The research team found that:
- Retention and attendance were encouraging, with participants attending nearly 87% of scheduled sessions.
- No serious adverse events occurred, demonstrating that the programme was well tolerated.
- Most participants achieved meaningful training intensities, with average heart rates at 64% of maximum and peaks of 84%, consistent with moderate to high intensity exercise.
- Many continued Frame Running after the study, supporting its appeal and sustainability.
Researchers
- Professor Marietta van der Linden
Professor Marietta van der Linden is a human movement scientist and co-director of the Centre for Health, Activity and Rehabilitation Research at Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh.
- Dr Gary McEwan
Dr McEwan was working as a research fellow at Queen Margaret University, when he carried out this study.
For further media information contact Lynne Russell, Communications Manager, Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, E: lrussell@qmu.ac.uk
