physical therapy

Helius Medical Technologies will be showcasing its now-accredited PoNS device — designed to improve walking ability in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) — at this year’s American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) Combined Sections Meeting (CMS), slated for Feb. 15-17. The annual meeting, which will feature educational sessions, exhibits,…

A three-month yoga program was significantly better than physical therapy at improving quality of life in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a Russian study reports. Significant effects were observed in patients’ physical and social functioning, life activity, and mental health, researchers found. “Regular yoga classes under the guidance of…

I guess the short answer to the headline’s question is “It depends.” After my primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) diagnosis in March 2021, when I was 58, I had many questions that could be collected into the five W’s: who, what, when, where, and why. I’ll throw 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…

On Feb. 28, 2021, my wife and I visited the MS clinic where I was diagnosed with primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS). After receiving this life-changing news, I was an emotional wreck. While touring the clinic, I saw a person in a wheelchair go into an exam room.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients who experience reductions in spasticity after a four-week course of inpatient rehabilitation can sustain those improvements in the long term using an app-based self-training program, according to data from a clinical trial. The app also led to better adherence to the self-training program than…

Multiple sclerosis (MS) has gotten to be a real pain in the back. In the past couple years, I’ve developed pain in a few areas of my body, especially my butt and back. Last winter, I tried physical therapy, but relief lasted only a short while. So, I think I’ll…

Cognition-targeting exercise, when combined with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) — a type of talk therapy — may further ease fatigue and other symptoms in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a study found. The study, “The added value of cognition-targeted exercise versus symptom-targeted exercise for multiple sclerosis fatigue: A randomized…

Neubie, a neuromuscular electrical stimulation device developed by NeuFit, led to measurable improvements in function and strength in the six multiple sclerosis (MS) patients who participated in a three-day physical therapy bootcamp, the company announced in a press release. The Neubie device is part of the NeuFit…

PoNS, a non-invasive devise to accompany physical therapy in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with difficulty walking, will be available on the U.S. market early next year, its developer, Helius Medical Technologies, announced in a quarterly financial update. Short for Portable Neuromodulation Stimulator, the PoNS…

Scientists Discover Enzyme Needed for Activating Myelin Repair Here’s encouraging news for those interested in remyelination — and who isn’t interested in repairing our frayed MS nerves? Yes, it’s only a mouse study, but maybe it’s the starting point for finding a way to use a particular enzyme to…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized the use of a medical device called Portable Neuromodulation Stimulator or PoNS as a short-term treatment for walking difficulties in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). PoNS, developed by Helius Medical Technologies, is a non-invasive medical device…

Are you sitting down? I am, but I’ve been doing too much of that this year. For the past six months, I haven’t been using our community exercise room. I haven’t been able to swim. I haven’t gone outside that much. I’ve become a couch potato, and you know why:…

My travails with MS invariably deal with what it does to me. This week, dear reader, it’s what I did to my jolly old self! I’ve got a daily light exercise routine designed for me by an occupational therapist (OT) and a physiotherapist. Why two professionals? Well, the…

The neurotechnology company Helius Medical Technologies has received authorization from Health Canada to market its portable neuromodulation stimulator (PoNS) device to treat gait deficit in patients with mild-to-moderate multiple sclerosis…

Since being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) 20 years ago, Kathy Miska’s ability to walk has steadily worsened, especially in recent years. As a participant of a pilot study at the Cleveland Clinic Mellen Center for Multiple Sclerosis, however, she is cheered by the effect of…

Neuronal Circuit Likely Behind Chronic Itch in MS and Other Diseases Identified I often read posts on multiple sclerosis social media groups complaining about chronic itching. This mouse study may have found a reason for that symptom. The researchers hope that finding the cause will eventually lead to a…

“If I were you two, I think I’d plan for the worst,” Amy, my physiatrist, said to my wife and me as we sat in the examination room. It was just after 11 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 18. January has become one of two pivotal months in terms of…

Editor’s note: Tamara Sellman continues her occasional series on the MS alphabet with this column referencing terms starting with the letter P. This post comes fourth in a series of seven. Symptoms of MS Postural tremor Tremors (specifically, cerebellar tremors) are a common symptom of MS. A…

What I’m about to write will sound like I am tooting my own horn. I’m not. Really. But something is working for me in my battle to navigate the stairs in our house, something that might help others…

The University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences (USAHS) recently installed a state-of-the-art SafeGait 360 Balance and Mobility Trainer on its Austin, Texas campus. The device is a ceiling-mounted body-weight support and fall protection system that tracks patient movements 2,500 times per second. The trainer was designed in collaboration with…

When my doctor first recommended physical therapy for my MS, I must admit I was very hesitant —hesitant because I didn’t feel I could do it, and hesitant because I was afraid I would be embarrassed when I failed. As it turns out, I didn’t have anything to worry about. The…

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society announced that a panel of experts led a comprehensive review of 142 published studies addressing rehabilitation in multiple sclerosis (MS), and found evidence suggesting that weekly in-home or outpatient physical therapy offers benefits — but, mostly, it found a lack of well-designed studies into…

Scientists from Amsterdam-based Motek Medical developed an innovative virtual reality system that allows clinicians to see and analyze a patient’s balance, locomotion, and coordination – a tool that could reshape rehabilitation and clinical studies, as the system allows the patient to experience challenging and dynamically changing physical…

A team of researchers from Ohio State University received a $44,000 grant from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society to fund the development and testing of an interactive video game designed to promote and supplement physical therapy among patients suffering from multiple sclerosis (MS), an…