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Look and Feel Good, Boost your mood and love your look with these tips. On the Go, Life doesn't slow down for MS, and neither should you. Get Out There, Tips that keep you moving without slowing you down. Safe at Home, Find out how to get rid of hazards in your house. Your Social Life, Mix and mingle without worry. Handy Tools, Get the job done -- with a little help from the right device. Travel Plans, Book your ticket! Tips from packing and planning to TSA and travel agents. Work and MS, Helpful ways to manage your career and job-related issues. Stay On Your Game, Live without limits, from parenting to your love life. Sex and MS, Keep the spark and get intimate in new ways. Physical Therapy, Active treatment for pain and mobility. Brain Games, Can you play your way to a better memory?, Active Parenting, Take advantage of your strengths and parent with creativity. True, How Physical Therapy Can Help Your MS, Physical therapy can ease many of your MS symptoms and help you get around better. It can help you with:, Balance problems, Trouble moving your body, Feeling tired , Picking an exercise routine that’s right for you, Pain , Weakness , Ways to save your energy, Better ways to move or do everyday tasks, You may start working with a physical therapist right after you get a diagnosis and have follow-up appointments when you need them. Some hospitals have some on staff who specialize in MS treatment. You will need to ask your doctor for a formal referral, but check with other people with MS for suggestions on where to go in your area. On your first visit, your therapist will talk to you about your symptoms, see how well you can handle different tasks, and show you exercises you can do at home. One to three sessions may be enough. On follow-up visits, you may learn:, Stretches to prevent or ease muscle spasms , Moves to keep muscles strong, Range-of-motion exercises, like straightening and bending your arms and legs, Tips to prevent falls, How to use canes, crutches, scooters, wheelchairs, or other aids, if necessary, Your therapist will also help you make a fitness program that’s good for your strength and goals. Regular exercise helps with all types of MS, but it can be hard when you’re tired or you get overheated easily. You'll learn how to work around these issues to get the most from your workouts. Most therapists can give you more sessions to help you reach any goals you have, like overcoming a foot drag that slows your pace. Some may be able to come to your home to work with you. If your MS symptoms make it hard to do your job, your therapist can take you through some tests and document the kind of trouble you’re having. It's called a functional capacity evaluation. It measures whether you are able to work an 8-hour day and may help if you need to apply for Social Security disability benefits. Medical Reference, View Article Source, SOURCES:, National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Mellen Center for Multiple Sclerosis, Cleveland Clinic. Reviewed by Richard Senelick, MD on October 25, 2014, © 2005-2009 , Inc. All rights reserved. does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. My Notes:, Feeling Your Best, Fight Fatigue, Bladder Control Tips, Keep Muscles Strong, Eat Well, Alternative Care, Keep It Cool, Look and Feel Good, Start Your Journey, Manage Symptoms, Sleep Problems , Living on Your Terms, Get Out There, Safe at Home, Your Social Life, Handy Tools, Travel Plans, Work and MS, Your Stress Level, Active Life, Manage Flare-ups, Positive Attitude , Staying Vital, Sex and MS, Physical Therapy, Brain Games, Active Parenting, Exercise and MS, What's Next?, Be Empowered, MS and Raising Kids, Tips for MS, Look Good, Feel Good, Boost your self-confidence with a new hairstyle that's easy to take care of. Look Good, Feel Good, To keep your brain sharp, play word games or do crossword puzzles. Look Good, Feel Good, Keep up with friends and make plans for the time of day you've got the most energy. Look Good, Feel Good, To keep your muscles strong, work out with light weights or exercise bands a few times a week. Look Good, Feel Good, If workouts are too much work, exercise in a pool. You'll put less pressure on your joints. Look Good, Feel Good, See a physical therapist to get exercise tips to improve your balance. Get Better Rest, Take a nap to fight fatigue, but no more than 2 hours. Longer than that might keep you up at night. Get Better Rest, To fall asleep easier, listen to relaxing music before you get into bed. Get Better Rest, To sleep better at night, try meditation, deep breathing, or yoga during the day. Get Better Rest, Do you wake up at night with a need to go? Skip that glass of water before bed. Watch What You Eat and Drink, For an energy boost, instead of 3 big meals a day eat several smaller ones packed with nutrients. Watch What You Eat and Drink, Eat low-fat, high-fiber foods to help prevent heart disease and diabetes, which make MS worse. Watch What You Eat and Drink, To keep your bladder under better control, cut back on coffee. It increases your urge to go. Watch What You Eat and Drink, Travel safely: Stay hydrated on vacation, but be cautious about local water and raw foods. Put Gadgets to Work for You, Put a fan at your desk to keep cool while you work. Put Gadgets to Work for You, Get a motorized scooter to make shopping easier. Put Gadgets to Work for You, Put hand controls in your car so you can speed up and apply the brakes without using your feet. Put Gadgets to Work for You, Is food prep a real chore? Use electric can openers and forks and knives with easy-grip handles. Put Gadgets to Work for You, Don't let the heat make you tired. Wear a cooling vest when you go outside in the summer. Put Gadgets to Work for You, Wear lightweight shoes with good tread to avoid falling while you're out for walk. See All Tips, , Feeling Your Best, Your guide to staying well and living healthy every day. Living on Your Terms, Life doesn't slow down for MS, and neither should you. , Staying Vital, Live without limits, from parenting to your love life. , Find us on:, , URAC: Accredited Health Web Site, AdChoices, About , Advertise With Us, Terms of Use, Privacy Policy, Accessibility, Sponsor Policy, Site Map, Careers, Contact Us, Medscape Reference, eMedicineHealth, RxList, Medscape, MedicineNet, Boots, Corporate, Health Services, First Aid, Magazine, Health Record, Mobile, Newsletters, Dictionary, Physician Directory, ©2005-2015 , LLC. All rights reserved. does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. , See additional information.