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Blending body and mind, tension and trauma releasing exercises show real potential as a low-risk, high-impact therapy to fill critical gaps in holistic multiple sclerosis care.
A growing number of people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) are turning to mind-body therapies to manage fatigue, pain, and mobility issues—but does the science support the practice? A new randomized controlled trial from Denmark implied that tension and trauma releasing exercises (TRE) may offer promising symptom relief for PwMS, particularly when it comes to fatigue, tight and stiff muscles (spasticity), and pain.
The trial enrolled 28 individuals with MS, randomized to either TRE program for 8 weeks or the usual care. The main group partook in weekly TRE sessions and everyday home practice, while both groups were observed using a combination of self-report tools and digital health technologies, including the MS PRO symptom tracker tool, Fitbit for sleep data, and the FloodLight Open app for motor and cognitive function.
Although unadjusted analyses did not display noteworthy differences between groups in fatigue reduction, covariate-adjusted results told a different story:
This study adds to the limited but growing evidence supporting TRE as a non-pharmacological, body-based intervention for managing MS symptoms. Notably, the use of digital health tools provided real-time, objective insights into symptom progression and physical function. While the small sample size limits generalizability, the findings highlight the importance of adjusting for baseline imbalances in trials and point to a potentially meaningful role for TRE in MS care, added the study authors.
Advances in Mind-Body Medicine
Tension and Trauma Releasing Exercises for People with Multiple Sclerosis: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Lasse Skovgaard et al.
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