Fatigue, weakness, and loss of mobility and balance are devastating symptoms of multiple sclerosis. Whether it's a simple daily activity such as walking or gardening or more rigorous physical activity like swimming, exercise can alleviate symptoms of the neurological disorder and boost your sense of well-being. If you are considering exercising, speak to your doctor to determine how to begin an exercise program.
Benefits
Exercise is beneficial in reducing and managing symptoms of multiple sclerosis, leading to better overall health. While doctors once believed exercise should be avoided for multiple sclerosis patients, research has confirmed exercise reduces fatigue and improves cardiovascular health, mobility, balance, posture, sleep, mood and appetite --- common symptoms of the condition, and promotes participation in social activities.
Stretching
Stretching boosts mental and physical relaxation and also reduces muscle soreness and stiffness. If you have multiple sclerosis, stretching is particularly beneficial in helping to improve symptoms of spasticity. The painful stiffness common in the calf, quadricep, groin, bicep and forearm muscles may cause permanent muscle tightening over the long term that limits your range of motion and mobility. However, gentle stretching helps maintain normally stretchy connective muscle tissue. As a result, walking becomes less tiring and easier and you'll notice an improvement in your range of motion.
Yoga and Tai Chi
The combination of controlled breathing exercises and postures in yoga make the exercise advantageous for people with multiple sclerosis. The movements help increase range of motion and reduce muscle tightness, while the breathing boosts circulation and lung capacity, decreasing the risk of lung infections, including pneumonia.
Tai chi, an ancient Chinese martial art, is also beneficial through its flowing movements and relaxation and meditation techniques. The easy and slow movements allow anyone to participate without wear and tear on the joints. For those who have multiple sclerosis, the exercise can help increase or maintain flexibility, balance, strength and mental well-being.
Aerobic Exercise
Taking part in regular aerobic exercise is linked to an increase in cardiovascular fitness; strength; workout capacity; better bowel and bladder control; and lower levels of fatigue, anger and depression in people with multiple sclerosis. Swimming, in particular, is especially beneficial because the water eases movement and prevents your body from overheating during exercise, which may temporarily worsen multiple sclerosis symptoms. A study in the June 2010 issue of "Brain Research" by Ruchika Shaurya Prakash and colleagues has also found aerobic fitness improves brain function in multiple sclerosis patients. According to the authors, more aerobically fit multiple sclerosis patients performed better on brain functioning tests and had less damaged brain tissue than less fit patients, suggesting aerobic exercise may have a protective effect on the brain.
Resistance Training
An April 2010 study by U. Dalgas and colleagues in the journal "Multiple Sclerosis," found a program of progressive resistance training was associated with an improvement in fatigue, mood and quality of life in patients with multiple sclerosis. Additionally, the authors found the benefits were maintained for at least another 12 weeks after the program ended. Combining stretching with resistance training brings added benefit, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society reports. According to NMSS, the combination can improve strength faster than resistance training alone and help reduce the risk of osteoporosis.
Dangers of Inactivity
Inactivity in people with multiple sclerosis can lead to pressure ulcers, bowel and bladder problems, muscle weakness, lower bone density, upper respiratory tract infections, osteoporosis, and shallow breathing. Through exercise or daily physical activity such as gardening or walking, you can decrease the chance of a secondary illness and boost your overall health.
References
- "Brain Research"; Aerobic Fitness Is Associated With Gray Matter Volume and White Matter Integrity in Multiple Sclerosis; Ruchika Shaurya Prakash, et al.; June 2010
- "Multiple Sclerosis"; Fatigue, Mood, Quality of Life Improve in MS Patients After Progressive Resistance Training; U. Dalgas, et al.; April 2010
- National Multiple Sclerosis Society: Exercise
- "Multiple Sclerosis --- The Facts You Need"; Dr. Paul O'Connor; 2002
- National Multiple Sclerosis Society; Exercise as Part of Everyday Life; Mary Harmon; 2010
- Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada: Why Exercise and Be Active
