MS patients can benefit from exercise
We all know that regular exercise is important for our health and general well-being. Despite public knowledge and the advice of health care professionals, most of us don’t look forward to hitting the gym and working up a sweat. Even though “exercise” can be as easy as a 15-minute routine on your living room floor or a brisk walk outside, there often seems to be more important, or easier, things to accomplish in a day.
Now, imagine your doctor recommends eliminating exercise entirely. This advice has been given to people living with multiple sclerosis (MS) for years to avoid aggravating their symptoms. Recent evidence suggests, however, that regular exercise can improve quality of life and help to alleviate many MS symptoms.
MS is a chronic neurological disease that affects the brain and spinal cord. The body’s own defense system attacks the outer layer of healthy nerves and interrupts the impulses being sent from the brain to other parts of the body. This can result in symptoms such as weakness, poor balance, fatigue, heat sensitivity, loss of sensation, difficulty walking, incontinence and double vision. Symptoms vary from person to person and can change over time in the same person. No one is quite sure what causes MS, but medications can help to slow the disease and physical therapy and regular exercise can help control the symptoms.
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