MS and exercise: part one - a Q&A with physiotherapist, Henriette

Regular, moderate exercise is an important part of maintaining good health and wellbeing, especially for people with multiple sclerosis. However, many people with MS can feel understandably concerned about starting a new exercise routine. In this new blog series we talk to Henriette, a physiotherapist who spent ten years working at an MS therapy centre, before returning home to her native Denmark. With her own blog called MS ideas and exercise, here Henriette answers some common questions people with MS may have about exercising.

Work on everyday tasks such as emptying the dishwasher or other hobbies which involve moderate movement. If you decide you would like to do more cardio-orientated exercise to increase your heart rate, you could try using an exercise bike. Pedal with your arms if they are stronger than your legs. 

Be creative with exercises, making use of a long piece of fabric, such as a sheet or towel. Hold an end in each hand and set the fabric in motion by moving the arms up and down in opposite directions at a brisk pace. 

Whatever you choose, please listen to your body. Start carefully with 20 seconds at a time, for example and perhaps use a diary to record how you are getting on. This will help you decide when you feel able to add another set, and to build up your sets safely. Later, you could also increase the number of seconds in each set. 

It is always good practice to consult with your physiotherapist before taking on any new exercise routines. 

Each person has their own range of motivations. One way to find yours is to put into words what is important in your life. You can then join the dots and see how exercise can help you maintain these things. When setting goals, remember to make them specific and measurable to stop you from losing motivation. Maintaining a routine of exercise is much easier if you actually enjoy it or find an activity that you can share with others and be social.

When living with MS, it can be easy to give up being physically active and with good reason given the nature of the condition. You could be feeling low in mood or might have enough on your plate just getting on with everyday life, not to mention fitting in exercise as well. The opposite could also apply and you might push yourself so hard that it backfires and you feel fatigued for days to come. That kind of extreme lifestyle is not helpful for your MS. You need to find a happy medium where your exercise routine actually helps you – rather than sending you to bed for days!

In fact, I would put it this way: Exercising, without working on your mindset, is the worst thing you can do for your MS. Working with your mindset, goals and motivation, puts you in a position to take control of your active lifestyle.

Start off small and specific, making sure you listen to your body. It may need a break before you feel it’s time for one. 

Use a diary to guide what you do. In addition to adding breaks, you could take into consideration how much effort a task requires. Think about changes you could make to a task to make it either more or less effort to carry out. For instance, you could use a walking aid to make your gait less strenuous. The aid then becomes a means to be more active rather than less active. 

Perhaps the ground where you exercise is very uneven. By finding a more level surface to exercise, you will reduce the effort required. If you need advice, speak to your local physiotherapist who can point you in the right direction.

• MS and exercise: part two - a Q&A with physiotherapist, Henriette
• MS and exercise: part three - a Q&A with physiotherapist, Henriette
• MS and exercise: part four - a Q&A with physiotherapist, Henriette
• MS ideas and exercise - Henriette's latest blog post