Multiple Sclerosis: Physiotherapy at Home in Hampshire

Multiple sclerosis is different for everyone. Some people have long spells where little changes; others find walking, balance or tiredness slowly getting harder. Whatever kind of MS you have, the right exercise and advice can help you stay as strong, steady and independent as possible.

Is exercise safe with MS?

Yes. For a long time people with MS were told to rest. We now know that the right kind of regular exercise is safe, does not cause relapses, and helps with strength, balance, walking, mood and even tiredness. The key is getting the amount and type right for you.

What physiotherapy can help with

• Walking – how far, how steady, and how much effort it takes
• Balance and the risk of falls
• Weakness in the legs, hips or trunk
• Stiffness and spasms (spasticity), especially in the legs
• A dropped foot that catches when you walk
• Fatigue – planning the day so you have energy for what matters
• Getting in and out of bed, chairs, the bath and the car
• Equipment such as walking aids, and when they would help

Managing fatigue

Tiredness is one of the most common and frustrating parts of MS. It is not the same as ordinary tiredness and it is not laziness. Things that help:

• Pacing – spreading tasks through the day and the week, and resting before you are exhausted
• Planning – doing the hardest things at the time of day you feel best
• Keeping cool – many people find heat makes symptoms worse for a while, so a fan, a cool drink or exercising at a cooler time of day can help
• Regular exercise – which, done the right way, often improves fatigue rather than adding to it

Stiffness and spasms

Regular stretching, good positions in bed and in your chair, and staying active all help to keep muscles from tightening up. A physiotherapist can show you and your family which stretches to do and how. If spasms are strong or painful, tell your MS nurse or GP too, because medicines can also help.

What about relapses?

If you have new symptoms, or old ones get much worse for more than a day or so, contact your MS nurse or GP. After a relapse, physiotherapy can help you get back to where you were. Exercise is usually eased off during a relapse and built back up afterwards.

Why home visits suit MS

Travelling uses up energy that people with MS need for the rest of the day. At home there is no journey, and the work is done where it matters: your stairs, your bathroom, your kitchen and the walk to your front door. Rits can also involve family or carers, so they know how to help.

Rits is a neurological physiotherapist, and MS, Parkinson's, motor neurone disease and recovery after a stroke or brain injury are the main focus of her work.

No GP referral needed

You can book private physiotherapy directly, with no waiting list. If you have a hospital discharge letter or a letter from your consultant, have it ready for the first visit, but you do not need one to get started.

Home visits across Hampshire

Physiotherapy for MS is available at home across Winchester, Basingstoke, Southampton, Portsmouth, Fareham, Andover and across Hampshire. You can read more about neurological rehabilitation in Winchester and in Southampton.

About Rits Rana

Rits Rana is a chartered physiotherapist (HCPC PH106489, MCSP 119421) providing home visit physiotherapy across Winchester, Basingstoke, Southampton, Portsmouth, Fareham, Andover and across Hampshire, and runs an independent mobile practice, Mobile Rehab. Her specialist ground is complex neurological rehabilitation: stroke, brain injury, Parkinson's, MS and motor neurone disease. Alongside that she works with older adults on strength, balance and falls, and treats muscle and joint problems at NHS Band 7 level. She assesses and diagnoses directly, so there is no wait for a GP referral before treatment can start.

Read Rits's profile or call 07818 106406.

Please mention Mobile Physiotherapist.co.uk when you call.