muscle weakness clearly interferes with walking. Damage to neurons (nerve cells) can affect a particular muscle group or groups so they no longer respond to the nervous system input that normally guides the act of walking. The result may be legs that tire quickly or feel wobbly.
Among people with MS, 41% reported having difficulty walking, including 13% with inability to walk at least twice a week. Of those with difficulty walking, 70% said it was the most challenging aspect of having MS. Of those with inability to walk at least twice a week, 74% said it disrupted their daily lives.
In MS musculoskeletal pain occurs because of weakness, stiffness or coordination problems that alter your walking or other mobility. Like in the example mentioned earlier, if you have leg weakness it's likely you do not have the same gait (walk) that you did before MS.
Two-thirds of people who have MS remain able to walk, though many may need an aid, such as a cane or crutches, and some will use a scooter or wheelchair because of fatigue, weakness or balance problems, or to conserve energy. Read more about the symptoms of MS.
Problems with balance and walking, otherwise known as gait, are common symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS). Balance and walking problems can be due to several factors such as muscle weakness, muscle tightness or spasticity and a problem coordinating muscle actions known as ataxia.
It is certainly possible to restore motion and enhance fitness and well being even with severe disability but often to achieve success requires the use of sophisticated rehabilitation equipment such as the lokomat system, the Giger MD locomotion system and the functional electrical stimulation bicycle.
Disease Course of MS Is Unpredictable
A person with benign MS will have few symptoms or loss of ability after having MS for about 15 years, while most people with MS would be expected to have some degree of disability after that amount of time, particularly if their MS went untreated.
Another study from 2021 found that resistance training led to metabolic changes in people with MS that are linked to improved hip strength, increased walking distance and speed, and reduced fatigue.
Symptoms of the final stages of MS vary from person to person. But the condition is considered end-stage when it leads to life-threatening complications. Some of these complications include: Breathing problems and respiratory infections, which can cause you to keep getting pneumonia.
Surveys for patient pain indicate that the most common pain syndromes experienced in MS are: continuous burning in extremities; headache; back pain; and painful tonic spasms.
Problems with the joints, (such as arthritis), bones (such as deformities), circulation (such as peripheral vascular disease), or even pain can make it difficult to walk properly. Diseases or injuries to the nerves, muscles, brain, spinal cord, or inner ear can affect normal walking.
Characteristics of the MS gait pattern
You may walk more slowly, with shorter steps. You may lack in confidence when you walk – leading to hesitation and stumbling. You might feel unsteady when turning or walking. You might find placing your foot on the ground difficult.
No-one one can be certain how your MS will affect you, although most people with MS don't use a wheelchair. Learning how to deal with unpredictability and being prepared to manage changes will help you take back the control you might feel MS has taken away.
Currently, there is no cure for Multiple Sclerosis (MS). However, in the past 20 years, significant advancements have been made in MS research, resulting in over a dozen licensed treatments, particularly for those with relapsing MS or early active progressive MS.
Balance deficits in people with MS appear to be caused by slowed spinal somatosensory conduction and not by cerebellar involvement. People with MS appear to compensate for their slowed spinal somatosensory conduction by increasing the amplitude scaling and the magnitude of their postural responses.
Pulmonary complications.
MS can weaken the muscles that control the lungs. Such respiratory issues are the major cause of sickness and death in people in the final stages of MS.
Four disease courses have been identified in multiple sclerosis: clinically isolated syndrome (CIS), relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS), primary progressive MS (PPMS) and secondary progressive MS (SPMS).
Outlook. The outlook for benign MS isn't clear. Some people who are diagnosed with it never go on to have a more serious disease progression, while others do. Remember, just because you have mild symptoms when you're first diagnosed with MS doesn't mean that they'll stay that way.
According to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, approximately 40% of people with MS in the United States receive disability benefits. 15 MS is a progressive disease. It's likely that many of them continued to be able to work with MS for many years before they needed to apply for disability.
AMPYRA® (dalfampridine) Extended Release Tablets, 10 mg, is the first and only brand prescription medicine indicated to help improve walking in adults with multiple sclerosis (MS).
Weakness is a common symptom in multiple sclerosis. You may feel that you do not have enough strength or energy to move some or all of your limbs, or your whole body. Weakness and fatigue are closely linked and having one often makes the other symptoms worse.
Muscle spasms and stiffness: Formally called spasticity, this symptom can range from mild feelings of muscle tightness to severe and painful spasms, according to the National MS Society, and it most commonly affects the legs.
You may have to adapt your daily life if you're diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS), but with the right care and support many people can lead long, active and healthy lives.