![\"multiple-Sclerosis\"](\"https:\/\/medicalfitnessnetwork.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/multiple-Sclerosis.jpg\")
<\/a>MS is the most common neuromuscular disease affecting young adults. The onset of symptoms usually occurs between the ages of 20 and 40. The disease is twice as prevalent in woman as in men.<\/p>\nThe National MS society provides the following parameterof different functional levels of people with MS:<\/p>\n
Level 1 \u2013 Mild:\u00a0<\/strong>People with this level of MS may be walking independently but may also walk with a cane. They may have some visual and coordination issues.<\/p>\n Level 2\u2013 Moderate:\u00a0<\/strong>People with this level of MS may be dependent on a walker or a wheelchair. They may be able to transfer themselves or they may require assistance.<\/p>\n Level 3 \u2013 Progressive:\u00a0<\/strong>People with this level of MS may be paralyzed primarily in the lower extremities. They will spend most of their time in a wheel chair.<\/p>\n Fatigue:<\/strong> Usually mid-afternoon after waking up feeling reasonably rested Research shows that the proper dose of exercise can provide people with MS with beneficial results.Loss of muscle strength resulting from the onset of neurological damage cannot be improved through exercise. However, muscle atrophy as a result of disuse can be.<\/p>\n Regular exercise can counteract muscle weakness, lower the risk of bone fracture, improve the efficiency of the respiratory system, increase bone density, lower stress, and contribute to a general feeling of well-being.<\/p>\n The benefits of regular exercise and therapeutic fitness training include:<\/strong><\/p>\n There are\u00a0medical fitness trainers that are certified to work with individuals with multiple sclerosis. They have acquired the tools and strategies to improve physical fitness and functional ability for clients with MS who have varying symptoms of the disease and levels of ability. They have learned exercise precautions, program design, perceptual motor and balance skill development, and much more.<\/p>\n Lisa Dougherty\u00a0founded Whole Body Fitness in 1999. She graduated from the University of CA, Irvine, Fitness Instructor Program, and is a Certified Personal Trainer and Health Coach through the American Council on Exercise. She has specialty certifications to work with those with medical conditions, post surgical\/rehab as well as pre & postnatal fitness. Course work includes: Heart Disease, Breast Cancer Recovery, MS, Parkinson\u2019s, Diabetes, Alzheimer\u2019s\/Dementia, Arthritis, Respiratory Disease, Fibromyalgia, Knee and hip replacement, and Pre and Postpartum fitness. Lisa founded the Medical Fitness Network in 2013.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n References<\/strong>: A study published by researchers at the University of Utah in 1996 was the first to demonstrate clearly the benefits of exercise for people with MS. Those patients who participated in an aerobic exercise program had better cardiovascular fitness, improved strength, better bladder and bowel function, less fatigue and depression, a more positive attitude, and increased participation in social activities. MS is the most common neuromuscular disease affecting young adults. The onset of symptoms usually occurs between the ages of 20 and 40. The disease is twice as prevalent in woman as in men. The National MS society provides the following parameterof different functional levels of people with MS: Level 1 \u2013 Mild:\u00a0People with this level of MS may be walking independently but may also walk with a cane. They may have some visual and coordination issues. Level 2\u2013 Moderate:\u00a0People with this level of MS may be dependent on a walker or a wheelchair. They may be able to transfer themselves or they may require assistance. Level 3 \u2013 Progressive:\u00a0People with this level of MS may be paralyzed primarily in the lower extremities. They will spend most of their time in a wheel chair. Associated Impairments Fatigue: Usually mid-afternoon after […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":4581,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1],"tags":[134,198,85],"class_list":["post-2725","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-mfn","tag-fitness","tag-fitness-professionals","tag-multiple-sclerosis"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2725","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2725"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2725\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4581"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2725"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2725"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2725"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Associated Impairments<\/strong><\/h4>\n
\nSpasticity:<\/strong> Most common areas of the body to be affected are the legs and postural muscles.
\nWeakness:<\/strong> May be present all the time or only during times of acute flare-up. Pain leads to disuse and disuse leads to even greater weakness and los of functional fitness.
\nTremors:<\/strong> These are not predictable as exhibited with Parkinson\u2019s disease. They tend to vary widely in intensity and oscillation.
\nBalance, Coordination, and Gait:<\/strong> Often the first symptom of MS is the great mental effort it takes to perform movements that previously were automatic. They may observe foot dragging and shuffling or a foot that turns in while walking. They may exhibit shaking and jerky movements know as ataxia.
\nMuscle Cramps and Spasms:<\/strong> Flexor spasms in muscles that increase flexion of a muscle may occur.
\nNumbness and Tingling:<\/strong> Most often sensed toward the periphery of the extremities such as fingers and toes.
\nHeat Sensitivity: High ambient temperature and humidity can exacerbate the symptoms and lead to fatigue, loss of balance, visual changes and general worsening of symptoms.
\nVision: people may experience optic neuritis in one eye where vision may be blurred for minutes. Response of the pupils to light is slowed.
\nHearing:<\/strong> Changes in hearing are rare.
\nCognition:<\/strong> 50% of people experience some degree of mild cognitive disfunction.
\nCardiovascular Dysautonomia:<\/strong> Irregular function of the autonomic nervous system leads to blunted heart rate and decreased blood pressure in response to exercise.<\/p>\nBenefits of Physical Activity for People with MS<\/strong>
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Exercise Guidelines:<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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\nDesert Southwest Fitness Author: Karl Knopft, EdD Copyright 2005<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"