Exercising with Multiple Sclerosis

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Multiple sclerosis is a progressive autoimmune disease and the most common neurological disease diagnosed in young adults. It is believed that multiple sclerosis occurs when the body's own immune system attacks the central nervous system.2 Commonly called MS, the disease generally gets worse with time and can cause significant nerve damage.1 Symptoms are fatigue, weakness, vision problems, gait difficulties, spasticity, and numbness or tingling, ect.   To reverse these effects exercise has been the primary focus during rehabilitation and long-term management.

Exercise is a safe, non-pharmacological treatment strategy for people with MS that can bring many health benefits, including improvements in muscle power, physical and psychosocial functioning and quality of life.3 Remember when deciding on the right exercise program to consider your doctor's recommendations, progression of disease, and your personal fitness level. Exercise is a safe and effective way to heal the body naturally. Progress can be made when sticking to a regular exercise routine.  Exercise is the first step to managing MS pain, so here are a few helpful do's and don'ts for safe exercise.

Safe Exercise Do's:

·         Always warm up and cool down before and after each exercise.

·         Stay hydrated, remember to bring a bottle of water to keep by your side.

·         If balance is an issue stay in reach of a grab-bar or rail.

·         Stop working out if you begin to feel sick or fatigued.

·         Resistance exercises may provide a better starting point than endurance exercises in a heat     sensitive person.1

·         Choose activities you enjoy, exercise should be fun!

·         Set realistic goals.

Safe Exercise Don'ts:

·         Do not get overheated, if these symptoms arise slow down or stop until core body temperature has lowered.

·         Don't overdo it, the body needs time to rest and recover.

·         Don't work out randomly you need a consistent schedule to reap the benefits

·         Don't give up, try taking a friend with you. It is easier to work out when you have a partner to rely on.

References

1Skjerbaek, A., Moller, A., Jensen, E., Vissing, K., Sorensen, H., Nybo, L., . . . Dalgas, U. (2012). Heat sensitive persons with multiple sclerosis are more tolerant to resistance exercise than to endurance exercise. Multiple Sclerosis Journal, 932-940. doi:10.1177/1352458512463765

2Multiple Sclerosis - Symptoms, Causes, Treatments. (2014, June 26). Retrieved September 13, 2015, from http://www.healthgrades.com/conditions/multiple-sclerosis

3Paul, L., Coote, S., Crosbie, J., Dixon, D., Hale, L., Holloway, E., . . . White, L. (2014). Core outcome measures for exercise studies in people with multiple sclerosis: Recommendations from a multidisciplinary consensus meeting. Retrieved September 13, 2016.