More on exercise

There are various types of exercise, each with its own specific benefits:

Aerobic exercise raises the heart and respiratory rate. These include swimming, running, walking, weight lifting etc. After regular aerobic exercise, you will improve your endurance, as athletes with to do. This form of exercise, done regularly and appropriately, is beneficial for your cardiovascular system and much more, eg less general fatigue, improved self-esteem and general body wellness. An in-depth study of the impact of aerobic training on fitness and quality of life in MS, published earlier this year, found that whilst not altering the disease progression, a significant improvement in fitness, fatigue, body care, mobility, self-esteem and socialisation contributes to a profound impact on quality of life

• Stretching and range of motion exercises are very important where spasticity is a problem and joint motion is compromised. Stretches of the affected muscles need to be done slowly and held for three-five minutes, allowing the muscle fibres to stretch without tearing


• Balance and coordination. There is no medication to control these problems. Exercise, though not a cure, can offer some compensatory strategies where balance is a problem. The Swiss ball is useful here.


• Strengthening programs. These are not easy to do. The underlying problem in MS is with the central nerve conduction not the muscle fibres themselves. Exercise is needed to prevent muscle wasting from disuse yet not to induce fatigue which hinders strengthening


• Relaxation exercises. These are useful in reducing stress. Exercise programs in MS will be individually tailored to meet the functional abilities and requirements of the client to either regain certain abilities or to make disease progression less disabling.


• Aquatic exercise. This form of exercise is known to many people with MS. Keeping away from 'progressive resistance exercise', aquatic movements give back joint mobility, strength and endurance, without excessive fatiguing or overheaiing.