People with Multiple Sclerosis used to be discouraged from participating in physical activities and exercises because of the fear of aggravating the symptoms of the illness. However, in recent years, studies have proven that exercise can help MS patients ease out the symptoms of this debilitating illness and improve their quality of life.
Multiple Sclerosis is a medical condition wherein the person’s immune system eats into the protective sheath that covers the nerve. When this happens, the communication between the brain and the spinal cord and other parts of the body is seriously affected. Advanced Multiple Sclerosis patients may have difficulty walking or may lose the ability altogether.
Exercise can help MS Patients
Exercise Precautions for Multiple Sclerosis Patients
This is one medical issue when taking on a workout routine or an exercise without a physician and a physical therapist involved is not an option. Multiple Sclerosis cases have certain limits that are strictly imposed.
People with MS feel the symptoms of their illness more when their body heats up. High intensity workouts are not beneficial for them and may potentially cause them more harm. The recommended workouts for MS patients are low intensity endurance training programs such as Yoga, Tai Chi, Water Aerobics and Swimming.
Yoga and Tai Chi focus more on stretching, balancing and body coordination.
Water Aerobics and Swimming, on the other hand, are great ways to exercise while keeping your body temperature down.
A person with MS will not be able to do many of the regular exercise routines that a person can do, even with yoga, but with properly applied modifications, they can access the benefits of the exercise to ease their muscle fatigues and stress.
Here’s a sample video on Yoga exercises for MS patients collaborated by Yoga Expert, Baron Baptiste and MS expert, Dr. Elliot Frohman:
Yoga Exercises For MS Patients (Consult Your Physician First)
There are still no known cures for Multiple Sclerosis but Yoga and a few other types of workouts are said to have produced breakthrough results for people afflicted by it.
An article on everydayhealth.com gives us more insights on how exercise helps better the lives of people with MS:
Being extra tired is a common complaint among people with multiple sclerosis. Exercise, including yoga, can help combat this. A recent study examined the fatigue levels of people living with multiple sclerosis; one group signed on for a yoga class geared to the needs of people with MS, a second group took a stationary-bicycling class, and a third group had no specific program given to them. At the end of the 6-month study, both the yoga and stationary bike participants reported improvement in their fatigue levels, while the third group who had no specific exercise program saw no improvement in their MS fatigue symptoms.
Without exercise, Multiple Sclerosis cases may worsen because the lack of mobility and physical activities may trigger putting on excess and unwanted weight which will make it even harder for the person to deal with his illness. It can also increase the risk of heart ailments.
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