Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of aerobic and isokinetic rehabilitation exercise programs on muscle power, cardiovascular fitness, and quality of life (QoL) in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients.

Methods: A total of 40 MS patients who enrolled in a rehabilitation center were included. Twenty patients were randomly assigned to the aerobic exercise group (AEG), and 20 to the isokinetic exercise group (IEG). Patients in both groups participated in a rehabilitation program for 3 days per week for 8 weeks. In the AEG, walking treadmills were adjusted to the maximum speed at which a person could walk, and a 30-45-min run-walk exercise was performed. The patients in the IEG pedaled on a bicycle ergometer. The primary outcome measures were exercise capacity, muscle strength, cardiovascular fitness, and QoL.

Results: In IEG, post-treatment exertion values improved significantly for all parameters except maximum achievable heart rate (p<0.05). The post-treatment values for all QoL assessments also improved significantly compared to pre-treatment values in the AEG (p<0.05). No significant differences in post-treatment values were observed between the two exercise groups (p>0.05).

Conclusion: Exercise increases muscle strength, functionality, and QoL of MS patients if preventive measures and appropriate precautions, such as selecting exercises suitable for the functional condition of the patient are used.