Occupational therapy for multiple sclerosis
Fact-checked by Living with multiple sclerosis (MS) can affect movement, thinking, and everyday activities. Tasks that once felt automatic — like getting dressed, preparing meals, working, or driving — can suddenly feel more tiring or complicated.
Occupational therapy for MS helps you maintain independence and manage these everyday challenges. Rather than focusing only on symptoms, it provides practical strategies and tools to make your daily routines easier.
What occupational therapy does for MS
As part of MS rehabilitation, occupational therapists guide people with MS in adapting tasks, organizing routines, and using supportive tools to stay engaged in meaningful day-to-day activities — including self-care, household responsibilities, work, hobbies, and social life.
Occupational therapy focuses on problem-solving, simplifying tasks, adjusting the environment, and matching strategies to your current strengths.
Key MS challenges addressed by occupational therapy
MS can affect many areas of daily life. Occupational therapy addresses these challenges with practical strategies and tools.
Fatigue and energy management
Fatigue is a common MS symptom, no matter the type of MS you’re living with. Therapists teach techniques such as pacing, planning breaks, prioritizing tasks, and adjusting routines, so you can conserve your energy for what matters.
Even small shifts — such as reorganizing your morning routine or spreading tasks across the week — can make daily activities feel more manageable.
Mobility, balance, and safety
Changes in balance or coordination can make movement unpredictable. Occupational therapy may include safer transfer techniques, ways to navigate your home more comfortably, and support for moving through community spaces.
Simple modifications — such as grab bars, nonslip surfaces, or reorganized layouts — can lower fall risk and increase confidence.
Cognitive and organizational support
You may notice changes in memory, concentration, or processing speed. Therapists can help create supportive routines using planners, checklists, visual cues, and digital reminders.
They can also suggest mobile apps that make it easier to manage responsibilities such as medications, appointments, bills, and other everyday tasks that keep life running smoothly.
Strength, coordination, and hand function
Weakness, numbness, or trouble with hand coordination can make everyday tasks — such as getting dressed, preparing meals, writing, or using a computer — feel more challenging. Therapists may recommend gentle exercises to support hand strength and coordination.
Occupational therapists may also suggest adaptive devices or tools — such as dressing aids, ergonomic utensils, jar openers, or button hooks — that make everyday activities less tiring and more accessible.
Vision and sensory changes
Vision changes or abnormal sensations can affect reading, navigation, or household tasks.
Occupational therapy may include simple changes, such as improving lighting, using high-contrast labels, or adding tactile markers that help you move around more safely and independently. Even small tweaks like these can make everyday life feel more comfortable.
How occupational therapy can help
Occupational therapy focuses on what you need and want to do each day, offering practical strategies that make everyday activities more manageable. Key areas include:
- Moving safely while conserving energy: Therapists teach safer movement techniques, suggest home modifications, guide gentle exercises, and help you pace and simplify tasks so that daily activities don’t drain all your energy.
- Staying organized with supportive tools: Therapy streamlines medications, budgeting, and paperwork while introducing simple tools — like planners, checklists, and adaptive aids — to support independence.
- Supporting work, hobbies, and safety: Therapists adjust work tasks, support a return to hobbies or community activities, strengthen social connections, and recommend home or driving safety modifications when needed.
How occupational therapy for MS works
Occupational therapists can work in hospitals, outpatient clinics, and home settings. They can work with you as members of a larger rehabilitation team or as independent practitioners.
Your therapist may suggest home adaptations, such as ramps, stair rails, or accessible showers, and introduce assistive devices to simplify daily tasks. They may also recommend splints or orthotics for positioning and offer strategies and adaptive equipment to make driving easier and safer.
Occupational therapy vs. physical therapy
Physical therapy and occupational therapy can both support you, but they focus on different needs.
Occupational therapy helps you carry out everyday activities by adapting tasks, tools, and environments, while physical therapy focuses on movement, strength, balance, and endurance.
Many people find that combining occupational therapy and physical therapy helps them manage daily life with greater confidence. While both can boost your ability to perform everyday activities with greater ease and stability, finding the right balance with MS is an ongoing process.
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.
