Multiple sclerosis, or MS, causes your immune system to eat away at the protective myelin sheath covering your nerves, resulting in breakdowns in communication between your brain and the rest of your body. Before the mid-1960s, doctors believed that exercise could aggravate symptoms of the disease and recommended inactivity. However, being sedentary can actually cause fatigue and muscle wasting. Today, doctors recommend exercise to help manage symptoms and promote well-being. A qualified physical therapist can help you create an exercise program tailored to your abilities. Before beginning exercise, consult your physician.
MS Features
MS most commonly affects people between the ages of 20 and 40, and occurs twice as frequently in women. Symptoms -- which might appear, disappear and reappear unpredictably -- can be so mild that no treatment is necessary, or so severe that they cause the loss of the ability to speak or walk. Signs of MS include numbness or weakness in your legs and arms -- typically affecting one side of your body at a time -- as well as visual disturbances or loss of vision. Other symptoms include tingling sensations, electric-shock feelings in the head, tremors, loss of coordination, dizziness and fatigue. There is no cure for MS, but corticosteroids can reduce inflammation. Antidepressants, analgesics and muscle relaxants might also be prescribed. In severe cases, a plasma exchange -- which separates your blood cells from your liquid plasma -- might be performed.
Exercise Benefits
Regular exercise can increase cardiovascular fitness and strengthen muscles in MS patients. In addition, it can improve bladder and bowel function, alleviate fatigue and depression, promote a more positive attitude and lead to increased social interaction. Weight-bearing exercise, when practical, can help ward off osteoporosis. According to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, some MS patients -- with training and under the supervision of a physical therapist -- might be able to engage in running, skiing and even mountain climbing.
Swimming
Swimming is an excellent choice of exercise for people with multiple sclerosis. The buoyancy of the water provides for greater range of motion, as well as having a relaxing effect on muscles. Water also provides hydrostatic pressure, which allows you to easily do standing aquatic activities, such as walking in water. Swimming is also good aerobic exercise, while its low-impact quality decreases the chance of injury. Finally, the cooling nature of the water makes overheating unlikely -- an important feature for MS patients, who often suffer from thermosensitivity. The National Multiple Sclerosis Society recommends a temperature of 81 to 83 degrees as being close to ideal, though you might need to experiment to find the temperature most tolerable for you. Undertake swimming with the guidance of your physical therapist, and always have someone with you when you swim.
Yoga
According to Chaya Sharon Heller, author of "Yoga of Action: Holistic Lifestyle Adaptive Yoga for People With MS and Similar Conditions," MS sufferers generally have over-taxed nervous systems. Yoga can help soothe the system and restore balance to the body, mind and spirit. Heller recommends a combination of pranayama yoga, or breathing techniques, coupled with asana, or yogic poses, and adds that specific poses can help tone muscles, energize the system and help to relieve incontinence.
