Monitoring physical activity by fitness tracking devices : Usage, acceptance and willingness to share data in patients with multiple sclerosis

Wien Klin Wochenschr. 2026 Jun 15. doi: 10.1007/s00508-026-02774-0. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Fitness tracking, facilitated by wearable devices, has emerged as a popular method for monitoring physical activity levels in the general population; however, its usage, acceptance and utility in patients with multiple sclerosis (pwMS) remain understudied.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence of fitness tracking device usage in pwMS and to explore acceptance and willingness to share data for use in healthcare.

METHODS: We surveyed a cohort of consecutively and prospectively included pwMS diagnosed according to revised McDonald criteria 2017 in MS outpatient departments from two centers in Bern, Switzerland and Vienna, Austria.

RESULTS: Out of a total of 200 pwMS (70% female) with a mean age of 43.1 years (SD 12.3 years), 161/200 (80.5%) had relapsing MS. Overall, 34.0% pwMS reported wearing a fitness tracker and when asked how often they actually wear their fitness tracker, 54.4% reported wearing it always and 27.9% reported wearing it often, whereas only 16.2% reported infrequent use. Asked whether they would share the data gathered by their respective fitness tracker, 93.9% reported a willingness to share their health data for both clinical routine care and research.

CONCLUSION: In a representative cohort of pwMS in Central Europe, about one third are already actively and frequently tracking their physical activities with a strong dedication to utilizing their tracking data within healthcare settings including research. This underscores the feasibility and significant potential utility of monitoring physical activity by fitness tracking in the realm of MS care.

PMID:42298008 | DOI:10.1007/s00508-026-02774-0