# Restless legs syndrome and physical activity in adults with multiple sclerosis

> **NIH NIH F31** · UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM · 2020 · $20,824

## Abstract

Abstract
Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a neurological disorder characterized by unpleasant sensations in the legs
with an unknown etiology that affects as many as 65% of persons with multiple sclerosis (MS). There are
currently no FDA approved treatments for RLS in persons with MS and the current pharmacological treatments
are associated with a number of side effects, including the worsening of symptoms (i.e., augmentation). There
further are no evidence-based behavioral approaches for managing RLS in persons with MS. Physical activity
represents a promising, behavioral rehabilitation approach for managing symptoms of RLS in MS. To date,
physical activity has demonstrated tremendous benefits for managing many consequences of MS, but there is
no evidence on its efficacy for managing RLS in MS. This research proposes two methods for evaluating
physical activity as an approach to manage symptoms of RLS in adults with MS and represents the first-step in
establishing a research agenda that examines the efficacy of physical activity for inclusion in medical
rehabilitation for managing RLS in MS. The first-step is a cross-sectional design that examines the relationship
between physical activity behavior and RLS severity as it will describe the association in a large sample of
individuals with MS and RLS. Those with RLS who engage in more physical activity (i.e., spend more time in
light and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity) are expected to have a lower severity of RLS symptoms than
those who spend less time physically active. The second-step involves a clinical trials experience within a
randomized controlled trial and further permits an examination of the efficacy of physical activity for managing
symptoms of RLS. This will be accomplished by directly comparing the effect of a six-month physical activity
behavioral intervention with a control intervention on RLS severity. The hypothesis is that RLS symptom
severity will be reduced for those who increase physical activity behavior as a result of the intervention. This
project is vital to persons with MS, as it will be the first focal investigation of a possible behavioral intervention
for managing RLS in MS. This project is a crucial first-step for informing future randomized controlled trials and
designing larger-scale studies that can establish efficacy and effectiveness of physical activity for the
management of RLS symptoms in persons with MS. This is consistent with the PI’s long-term interests in
designing an appropriate behavioral rehabilitation approach to maximize the reduction of RLS symptoms and
improve common correlates of RLS in neurological conditions.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9991630
- **Project number:** 5F31HD097903-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM
- **Principal Investigator:** Katie L.J. Cederberg
- **Activity code:** F31 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $20,824
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-08-06 → 2021-01-05

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9991630

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9991630, Restless legs syndrome and physical activity in adults with multiple sclerosis (5F31HD097903-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9991630. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*