exercise and MS

A Georgia State University researcher won a $1 million U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) grant to study whether a program combining cognitive training with exercise can help prevent falls in older adults with multiple sclerosis (MS). “Falls are so common — and frightening — in older adults,” Katherine…

Vibration therapy, which provides mechanical stimulation to activate muscles and sensory receptors, may offer a promising new approach for easing fatigue in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to new data from a clinical trial. Patients who received vibration therapy reported reduced perceived fatigue and also showed significant gains…

Exercise programs that are culturally tailored to Hispanics with multiple sclerosis (MS) may help these patients engage in regular physical activity, according to an interview-based study. The patients surveyed also say they prefer exercise that’s performed three to five days per week, and led by a coach in community…

Some exercises are better than others at easing certain problems associated with balance in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), and the most effective type may depend on a patient’s specific issue, a small study suggested. The findings “provide valuable insights into the long-term effects of these exercises,” the researchers…

Exercise effectively reduces fatigue and improves muscular fitness in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), though the optimal exercise type and dose differ for each outcome, according to a meta-analysis of published studies involving more than 3,500 patients. Mind-body exercise, which combines physical movement, mental focus, and controlled breathing, was…

Neufit is encouraging people with multiple sclerosis (MS) to register for its upcoming MS Bootcamp, a three-day event that will showcase the company’s Neufit method for an intensive, specialized rehabilitation experience and connect patients to experts and a supportive community. The event will take place Nov. 8-10, at…

Understanding how exercise benefits people with multiple sclerosis (MS) is the aim of a trio of U.S. scientists who has published a new framework to help guide research into the subject. “Our objective is guiding the field toward evidence that facilitates the prescription and promotion of [exercise training] as…

Chronic pain can make it harder for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) to be physically active, but some types of pain have a bigger effect than others, a study suggests. The findings show not just whether a patient is having chronic pain needs to be considered, but also what…

An energy management education program combined with high-intensity exercise during a three-week inpatient rehabilitation program didn’t lead to quality of life gains for multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with fatigue over usual care, but it did offer some benefit. In the months after the program, better cardiorespiratory fitness, gains in…

Robotic-assisted gait training (RAGT) may be the most effective form of physical exercise for improving mobility among people with severe multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a recent review study. Other exercise types, such as conventional walking, treadmill training, and yoga, may also be feasible and effective, however, the researchers…

Stem Cell Transplant Found to Reduce MS Relapses, Ease Disability This is excellent news for those of us who would like to see stem cell transplant for MS become more available and affordable. These researchers analyzed 50 studies covering a total of 4,831 people with MS, ages 26 to…

In this installment of our “Expert Voices” series, Multiple Sclerosis News Today asked Mandy Rohrig to answer some of your questions about how to make exercise effective and safe for people with multiple sclerosis (MS). Mandy Rohrig graduated from Nebraska Wesleyan University with a bachelor of science in…

So I’m at my multiple sclerosis (MS) exercise class working out on a sit-down bike. Yes, I know, by their very nature bikes tend to be of the sit-down variety, but for us lot in wheelchairs, these bikes are designed so we can roll up to them and have…

Many people with MS avoid Florida. I crave it. My wife and I finally returned here in early March, escaping dreary, rainy, and windy Maryland after we received our COVID-19 vaccines. Since we arrived, the weather has been wonderful, with few clouds and temperatures warm enough for swimming outdoors. Swimming,…

Stem Cell Therapy Shows 2-year Benefit for Progressive MS Patients in Phase 1 Trial Stem cell studies always catch my eye. This very small study involves people treated with their own bone marrow, which was collected and expanded to give it the ability to modulate the MS immune response…

Regular Exercise ‘Strongly Recommended’ to Ease Fatigue in MS This may seem like a no-brainer. But once upon a time, neurologists told people with MS to avoid exercise. They told us it would overheat us or make us tired. Over the past few years, this advice has flipped 180…

Mavenclad, Ocrevus Use Rising in EU as Injectables and Tysabri Decline, Spherix Reports I’m not surprised at reports that the use of Mavenclad (cladribine) and Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) is increasing in Europe, or that the use of injectable disease-modifying therapies appears to be declining there. Mavenclad and Ocrevus are approved…

Exercise and multiple sclerosis are a natural pair and shown by research to be an important part of our MS care plan. We all can benefit from getting an assessment by a professional therapist and having an exercise plan customized for our MS, but accessing exercise in a…

Cannabidiol Increases Inflammatory Suppressor Cells, New MS Mouse Study Shows There’s quite a bit of anecdotal evidence that the use of marijuana can help reduce the symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS). Here’s a report about a study that suggests a reason that could be happening. Non-psychoactive cannabidiol (CBD),…

An estimated 85 percent of people with MS experience some type of spasticity due to the disease, according to a recent report (p/w) published in Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders. Why is that important? Because spasticity is behind many of the disease’s most debilitating physical, emotional and mental…

Well, 460.75 miles (741.5 km), to be exact. When I wrote about April Hester in late September, the headline on my column was “She Has MS and She’s Planning to Hike 500 Miles.” Well, she did it, hiking the Palmetto Trail from Walhalla, in the South…

Multiple sclerosis is a very complex disease that attacks the central nervous system. The symptoms MS generates are random, affect everyone differently, and are categorized either as primary MS, or secondary MS, symptoms. Primary MS symptoms are the direct result of the disease itself — byproducts of the damaged…