Physical activity is related to disease severity and fatigue, but not to relapse rate in persons with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis – a self-reported questionnaire based study

<jats:sec><jats:title>Introduction</jats:title><jats:p>Based on theoretical models, physical activity has been introduced as a promoting method to mitigate the disease severity, fatigue and relapse rate in multiple sclerosis. The primary objective of the study was to investigate the relation between self-reported physical activity level and disease severity, fatigue and relapse rate in persons with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS).</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Methods</jats:title><jats:p>A survey was offered to persons with RRMS from March 2019 to August 2021 (<jats:italic>n</jats:italic> = 253). Physical activity level, fatigue and disease severity were determined using the Godin Leisure-Time Questionnaire (GLTEQ), the Patient Determined Disease Steps (PDDS) scale and the Fatigue Scale for Motor and Cognitive Functions (FSMC). Additionally, participants’ relapse rate was recorded.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results</jats:title><jats:p>Bivariate correlations revealed an inverse relation between physical activity level and PDDS (<jats:italic>ρ</jats:italic> = −0.279; <jats:italic>p</jats:italic> &amp;lt; 0.001) as well as between physical activity and FSMC (<jats:italic>r</jats:italic> = −0.213, <jats:italic>p</jats:italic> &amp;lt; 0.001), but not between physical activity and relapse rate (<jats:italic>r</jats:italic> = 0.033, <jats:italic>p</jats:italic> &amp;gt; 0.05). Multiple linear regression analyses explained 12.6% and 5.2% of the variance of PDDS and FSMC.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusion</jats:title><jats:p>Our findings confirm a relation between self-reported physical activity, disease severity and fatigue in persons with RRMS. However, self-reported physical activity level does not seem to affect the annualised relapse rate.</jats:p></jats:sec>