Personalised exercise therapy and self-management support for people with multimorbidity: Development of the MOBILIZE intervention

Pilot Feasibility Stud. 2022 Dec 2;8(1):244. doi: 10.1186/s40814-022-01204-y.

Abstract

Background: To our knowledge, there is no intervention which includes personalised exercise therapy and self-management support for people with multimorbidity, although these interventions may be as effective as for people with single chronic conditions. Therefore, we developed a novel intervention, including personalised exercise therapy and self-management support for people with multimorbidity.

Methods: We followed the Medical Research Council framework and conducted one scoping review, five systematic reviews, two registry-based studies, one qualitative interview study and a mixed-methods feasibility study. Following an iterative approach, together with feedback from people with multimorbidity and relevant stakeholders, we developed the MOBILIZE intervention.

Results: The intervention included 24 (60 minutes) sessions of personalised exercise therapy and 24 (30 minutes) sessions of self-management support twice a week for 12 weeks, delivered in small groups by specifically trained physiotherapists. The intervention targets physiological, psychosocial, behavioural, and contextual factors to improve health-related quality of life and physical function in people living with multimorbidity.

Conclusions: We developed a personalised exercise therapy and self-management support programme for people with multimorbidity. The intervention will be tested for its safety and effectiveness in a randomised controlled trial.

Keywords: Exercise; Feasibility; Intervention Development; Multimorbidity; Physical Function; Quality of Life; Self-management.