How to Exercise with Multiple Sclerosis

Exercise for a person with Multiple Sclerosis can seem more challenging than beneficial, but even a small amount of exercise can be well worth its benefits. Just keeping the muscles and limbs of the body stretched and moving helps a person with MS.

Instructions

• 1

  Get in the water. Water is a great spot for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) to get the exercise they need without feeling the heaviness of their body. Water gives you buoyancy, better range of motion and flexibility.

• 2

  Do yoga to help you relax and keep your muscles moving and flexible. Yoga's number one benefit for MS patients is relaxation, which helps them feel more rested and gives them a better range of motion.

• 3

  Practice deep breathing to keep your lungs working properly. Take a big breath in, hold in for as long as you feel comfortable and release it slowly.

• 4

  Stretch your arms and legs daily. This is important because MS patients often loose range of motion in limbs when the muscles freeze up. Simply moving arms or legs up and down can keep them moving better.

• 5

  Lift weights to strengthen your muscles. Use soup cans or anything that helps put your muscles to the test. You don't need to buy a gym membership or expensive weights to keep your muscles moving.

• 6

  Improve your balance by practicing. A physical therapist can help you come up with some simple daily exercises that can help keep your body in check. Standing up from a sitting position a few times in a row is one balance exercise.

• 7

  Listen to soft music or sleep with ocean or nature sounds playing. The more relaxed and rested you wake up, the better your day can be.