On this page:
Why Exercise | Myths about MS and Exercise | Dangers of Physical Inactivity
Why Exercise and be Active
We all know we should exercise, but sometimes it is just too hard to get motivated. It can be especially difficult if you have multiple sclerosis (MS), as the number of MS symptoms, including fatigue can be a problem. Also, the MS symptoms you experience can worsen as the body beings to overheat due to exercising or being physically active. Overheating for most individuals with MS leads to weakness and fatigue, in turn leading to a decrease in ability to be physically active. Furthermore it leads to more weakness, fatigue and other health risks associated with inactivity, such as cardiovascular disease, obesity, and type II diabetes for example. There are many benefits to exercising for persons with MS. Planned exercise (e.g., Yoga, Tai Chi, strength training) and daily physical activity (e.g., walking, gardening, household chores):
- Improves strength (even for people with MS)
- Improves posture
- Improves mobility
- Lessens fatigue
- Improves mood, self-confidence and general well-being
- Improves sleep and appetite
- Improves fitness levels
- Improves cognitive functioning
- Improves ‘Quality of Life’
- Prevents over-use injuries
- Creates opportunities for new social outlets
- Decreases chances of secondary illness
- Helps with weight loss and more importantly
- Improves or maintains the level of independence of the person with MS. Exercise in a group has the added benefit of support from peers. It supplies a reason to get out of the house.
One of the most frequently asked questions are "what kind of exercise or physical activity should I be doing to improve my condition?" The answer is not so much about what you should be doing, but that you are active NOW! Any type of activity that gets you up and moving is great and has positive benefits for people with MS. Some people go for walks, do yoga or take part in Tai Chi, while others prefer something a little more structured and routine, for example, exercising on a treadmill, stationary bike, or stair climber. Strength training with weights or with the weight of a limb itself is also great. So, it doesn’t really matter what you do as long as you are active.
As an example of what people with MS should be doing be on a daily basis is stretching. More specifically stretching of the legs is an exercise that should be done daily. Spasticity or stiffness of the muscles which is common in many people with MS can cause permanent shortening of muscles if stretching is not done. Research has shown that gentle sustained stretches of the legs can help to decrease this stiffness. The benefit of stretching is not seen immediately but will be seen over time. It helps to prevent contractures and changes in the body’s physical structure from affecting movement. By ensuring the legs stretched are worked through a full range of motion, walking for some people with MS becomes less tiring and much easier.
Aquatic activities, such as swimming or aqua size represent excellent ways to work the whole body. The water itself is used both for support (buoyancy) and resistance. The amount of resistance created depends on how fast you move and how much effort you put into the action. Many community facilities offer supervised classes for people with disabilities and MS. Most facilities also provide accessible ramps and mechanical lifts so that if you have a mobility issue, you can still access the pool and facility.
Exercise is also equally important to persons with limited or no mobility. For example, deep breathing exercises can help to keep the lungs well ventilated and clear of infections. Gentle sustained stretches should be done daily to maintain the range of motion in the legs and to prevent stiffness and permanent shortening of the muscles. This is especially important for persons who have difficulty or cannot stand or walk.
When we think of being active or having an active life we tend think of planned exercise (i.e., scheduled activity) is the only way to be active. This is not true! Daily physical activity can also have the same benefits for persons with MS as does planned exercise. Daily physical activity consists of non-scheduled activities that get you moving and active. Many of the things we do in our everyday life count as daily physical activity. Here are some examples you can do and try:
- Going for a walk with friends, family, the dog, or by yourself;
- Household chores;
- gardening; and
- shovelling the driveway.
This list is just a small sample of what you can do to be active in your daily life. Take the time to think of other things in your life that may be a way to promote and encourage being active. Again, all that matters is to be active NOW, so you too can enjoy the benefits of being active and in the best shape you can be.
The benefits of planned exercise and daily physical activity in MS are numerous. Improved strength, endurance and even bowel and bladder function are possible, as well as it lessens fatigue and improves mood. There are many options to being active, depending on your interests and abilities. It doesn’t matter what type of MS you have, every individual can find and benefit from the right exercises and activity. Exercising and being active provides an opportunity to take charge of your life and learn to make the most of what you have. So, get active NOW!
Myths about MS and Exercise
The symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) are unpredictable and their severity varies from one person to the next. These symptoms may include fatigue, tremors, loss of balance, and sometimes even paralysis. Most people with MS, however, still continue to lead a relatively normal and active life many years after their diagnosis.
As time passes, many people with MS experience decreased motor skills, muscle strength and endurance. Unfortunately this may lead people to believe that physical activity is inappropriate, or even prohibited, for them. Admittedly until recently, people with MS were advised against participating in any activities that were deemed to be physically tiring. Up until recently, exercise as a therapy has been under-utilized in the MS population. This may have been due to neurological functions such as vision, motor function, and ambulation often becoming worse with exercise and therefore exercise was thought to be contributing to the disease process. It was also thought that participating in exercise would cause excessive fatigue preventing the individual from completing basic daily activities. Individuals were therefore often advised by health care professionals to refrain from participating in exercise. However, the worsening of symptoms that occurs with exercise does not cause any further damage to the myelin sheath and the symptoms individuals will experience will dissipate upon recovery from exercise.
This is not the case nowadays. The most recent thinking indicates that it is safe and beneficial for individuals with MS to participate in moderate exercise and it is now recognized as an important part of the overall care plan. Better understandings of MS and of the related therapeutic process prove inactivity must be rejected. Physiotherapy, kinesiology and occupational therapy have and continue to play an important role in activity promotion. But more and more the range of available exercise and activity opportunities is increasing for people with MS who want to keep active and fit: walking, weight training, swimming, yoga, and Tai Chi, to name a few.
The goals of exercise for persons with MS are to improve aerobic endurance, muscular strength and endurance, flexibility, mobility, and to prevent secondary diseases such as cardiovascular disease or diabetes. Evidence also exists that exercise will assist in maintaining individual independence and improve overall quality of life within persons with MS (check out MS ActiveNOW page containing recent books and articles on the topics of exercise and MS).
Exercising and being active provides an opportunity for individuals with MS to take charge of their life and learn to make the most of what they have. So, get active NOW!
Dangers of Physical Inactivity
Being inactive can have damaging effects for persons with MS. In fact, it has many, often harmful, consequences, not only for a person’s motor skills and physical condition but also for their emotional state and social relationships.
Inactivity can result in a variety of medical complications, some of which could even have a significant impact on an individual’s overall quality of life. The main medical complications or implications that may be associated with inactivity in persons with MS are:
- Impaired neuromuscular functions
- Infection of the upper respiratory tract
- Peripheral circulation disorder
- Pressure ulcers
- Bowel and bladder problems
- Osteoporosis
- Contractures
Exercise and/or physical activity plays an essential role in the prevention of many chronic diseases including, but not limited to:
- Cardiovascular disease
- Type II diabetes
- Osteoporosis
- Obesity
- Some cancers
- Depression
- Hypertension & stroke
A recent study in 2008 examined the relationship between the worsening of symptoms across a 3 to 5 year period of time and self-reported physical activity in individuals with multiple sclerosis (Motl, Arnett, Smith, Barwick, Ahlstrom, & Stover, 2008). Over half of the individuals within the study reported a worsening of symptoms over the 3–5-year period of time and that the worsening of symptoms was associated with significantly and moderately lower levels of self-reported physical activity. This study provided fresh evidence that a worsening of symptoms is associated with lower levels of physical activity in individuals with MS.
Therefore not only does physical inactivity have implications in relation to potential medical complications, it can also impact upon MS symptoms within. Why risk the potential dangers when physical activity can help potentially prevent the above from occur or reducing the potential impact of the above. So, become active and enjoy the benefits of being active NOW!
For further information please email: active@mssociety.ca
