Yoga for multiple sclerosis
Fact-checked by Yoga is a widely used mind-body therapy among people with multiple sclerosis (MS). For many, it offers a gentle way to stay active, manage stress, and feel more grounded day-to-day.
While disease-modifying therapies remain essential for managing MS, complementary therapies like yoga may help improve MS symptoms, boost mental health, and support overall quality of life.
What is yoga?
Yoga is a long-practiced discipline that combines physical postures, breathing exercises, and relaxation techniques. Different styles vary in intensity and purpose, and people with MS often benefit from choosing approaches that emphasize safety, pacing, and flexibility.
Yoga is classified as a mind-body therapy because it intentionally links movement, breathing, and mental focus. This integration may help calm the nervous system, reduce stress, and support symptom management. It represents a holistic approach that complements traditional medical care.
Benefits of yoga for MS
People with MS may experience symptoms that affect daily life, including fatigue, stress, chronic pain, and changes in mobility.
Yoga may help support physical function, emotional balance, and overall well-being, addressing multiple aspects of living with MS.
Fatigue
Fatigue is one of the most common MS symptoms. Gentle yoga therapy may help by supporting steadier energy and easing bladder issues that can interfere with sleep.
Slower movements, mindful pacing, and focused breathing can make daily tasks feel more manageable, especially if you tend to feel tired quickly.
Balance and mobility
Growing evidence shows that yoga may help people with MS move more confidently. Practicing yoga can enhance your body awareness, improve your balance and physical functioning, and help you walk more efficiently. People often also report greater strength and endurance.
These findings suggest that yoga may help improve MS mobility and stability, which can be measured through an ambulatory multiple sclerosis assessment, which is a walking-based evaluation of mobility, gait, and functional performance.
Stress, mood, and quality of life
Stress reduction is a consistently reported benefit of yoga. Yoga helps calm the body’s stress-response system by improving signals such as heart rate, blood pressure, temperature, and respiratory rate.
These changes show that yoga can help the body shift into a more relaxed state. For people living with MS, this aligns with reports that yoga helps ease anxiety, stress, and depression, support emotional balance, and improve overall quality of life.
Chronic pain
Chronic pain is common in MS and can affect walking, sleep, and everyday life. A rapid review of 10 systematic reviews on yoga for acute and chronic pain found that yoga often helped reduce low back and neck pain and improved quality of life and mood in adults with ongoing pain.
While these studies were not specific to MS, they support the idea that gentle yoga may be a helpful non-drug option to explore with an MS care team to ease pain.
Types of yoga for MS
People with MS may benefit from various yoga approaches that include gentle movement and appropriate modifications. These include:
- restorative yoga, which uses pillows or blankets to fully support the body so you can relax without effort
- gentle flow yoga, which involves slow, easy movements that help with mobility without causing overheating or strain
- adaptive or chair yoga, which is designed for people with limited mobility or balance needs and focuses on simple strength, posture, and breathing
- Hatha yoga, which is a beginner-friendly yoga style with basic poses and slow transitions to build confidence and control
- yin yoga, which involves seated or lying poses held for longer periods to ease tension and improve flexibility
Safety considerations
When practicing yoga with MS, a few safety steps can help you stay comfortable:
- Avoid heat exposure: Choose cooler, well-ventilated classes instead of hot yoga, which is practiced in a heated room, to prevent overheating.
- Use modifications: Props, chairs, blocks, or wall support can make movements safer and easier.
- Move at your own pace: Take breaks, slow transitions, and avoid pushing into fatigue.
- Work with trained instructors: Teachers familiar with MS or adaptive yoga can help you adjust poses to your needs.
- Check with your care team: A healthcare provider can help you choose the safest type of yoga based on your mobility, balance, and symptoms.
How to get started
You can explore yoga through in-person and virtual programs designed for a range of mobility levels.
- Try adaptive programs such as chair yoga, restorative yoga, or gentle classes for a safer starting point.
- Start slowly with short, consistent sessions that are easier to manage than longer or more intense practices.
- Look for MS-focused options offered by rehabilitation programs, nonprofit groups, or physical therapists who design classes specifically for people with MS.
Other mind-body therapies for MS
Beyond yoga, other mind-body interventions such as tai chi, meditation, guided imagery, and mindfulness-based approaches may also offer grounding and support.
These approaches can be combined with yoga to build a comprehensive treatment plan tailored to individual needs, symptoms, and goals. Over time, these tools may help promote daily comfort and support overall quality of life.
Multiple Sclerosis News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.
