During the month of March, doctors and physical therapists in New Jersey help to promote awareness and education about Multiple Sclerosis, often abbreviated as MS. This condition affects the brain and spinal cord due to deterioration of the myelin sheath. Think of the myelin sheath as the coating on a live electrical wire and you’ll understand just how MS works—sometimes the “wire” inside sparks when it shouldn’t, sometimes the “wire” inside doesn’t fire when indicated. For those living with MS, this can cause a variety of physical, cognitive, and sensory challenges. Fortunately, physical therapy services in NJ can help you move and live better.
Walk Longer and Better with Physical Therapy in NJ
The loss of ability to walk is one of the biggest threats for people living with MS. Fortunately, physical therapy can help you keep moving! MS can affect your ability to walk in so many ways, from balance disruption, to poor coordination between the left and right sides of your body, to fatigue and weakness that make you feel like you’re sinking in quicksand. While physical therapy cannot cure MS, it can help you walk better, longer, and more safely.
NJ’s Best Physical Therapists Help Prevent Falls
Speaking of safety, fall prevention in physical therapy has been shown to be effective in numerous studies. While nobody wants to fall, for those with MS, falls can be disastrous, ending your functionality faster than it needs to end. A physical therapist in NJ can help with fall prevention by working with you on exercises to strengthen your body, improve your balance, and increase your adaptability.
If It Doesn’t Move “Right,” Call an In-Home Physical Therapist
MS has been called “the great pretender” because it can cause so many different symptoms. Physical therapists in NJ know that these symptoms can show up in different and bothersome ways for each client. For example, while one person may struggle with one leg that seems to drag behind the other, another person may be most bothered by hand weakness that interferes with typing and writing. For others, general weakness and deconditioning can be the problem. As a general rule of thumb, physical therapy helps you move better—so if your body, or a part of your body, doesn’t move like it used to, physical therapy may be helpful in regaining that function.
Whether you’ve been living with MS for years or recently diagnosed, there are treatments to improve your quality of life. Talk with your primary care and neurology team about starting physical therapy for Multiple Sclerosis, then call the Home Rehab Consultants to set up in-home physical therapy services in NJ.