MS Resistance Exercises

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Exercise 1 - Sit To Stand

•Sit on a chair

•Move your bottom to the front of the chair

•Stand up slowly, use your hands if required

•Then sit down slowly and repeat 10 times

•Make sure the movement is slow and controlled

•Gradually work up to doing 2 sets of 10-15 repetitions, 2 days a week

Exercise 2 - Calf Raise

•Stand facing the back of a chair, table or counter

•If necessary hold on to the surface for support with just your fingertips or hover both hands above the support

•Come up onto your toes, raising your heels

•Return your heels to the floor repeat 10

•Gradually work up to doing 2 sets of 10-15 repetitions, 2 days a week

•Make this exercise more difficult by holding a weight in each hand

Exercise 3 - Press Up

•Stand with your hands on a wall, window sill or counter, feet apart and a couple of foot lengths back from the wall/counter

•Bend your elbows allowing your chest and head to move towards the wall

•Straighten your arms to return to the start position repeat 10times

•Gradually work up to doing 2 sets of 10-15 repetitions, 2 days a week

Exercise 4 - Shoulder Row

•Secure a resistance band in front of you

•Stand with your feet shoulder width apart or sit on a chair with no arm rests

•hold each end in either hand with your elbows straight and arms stretched out in front of you

•Pull the band back towards your sides, keeping your elbows straight and pinching your shoulder blades together

•Slowly allow your hands return to the starting position repeat 10 times

•Gradually work up to doing 2 sets of 10-15 repetitions, 2 days a week

Stretch 1 - Calf

•Stand facing a wall

•Place your hands on the wall for support and step one foot back into a mini lunge

•Bend your front leg and keep your back leg straight

•Point both feet forwards and keep your heels on the floor

•Feel a stretch in the calf of your straight leg

•Hold for 30 seconds

•Repeat 2 to 3 times on either leg

Stretch 2 - Hamstrings

•Sit on the edge of a chair

•Straighten one leg out in front of you with your heel on the floor

•Keeping a straight back, lean forwards to feel a stretch down the back of your thigh

•Hold for 30 seconds

•Repeat 2 to 3 times on either leg

Stretch 3 - Groin

•Stand with your feet greater than shoulder width apart, with your hands on your hips

•Allow one knee to bend until it is over your foot, keep your feet flat on the ground facing forwards

•Feel a stretch in the opposite groin

•Hold for 30 seconds

•Repeat 2 to 3 times on each leg

Stretch 4 - Quads

•Stand alongside the back of a chair, table or counter

•You can hold on with a hand to maintain balance

•Bend one knee and take hold of the ankle, pulling the heel towards your bottom

•Feel a stretch down the front of your thigh

•Hold for 30 seconds

•Repeat 2 to 3 times on each leg

Cardiovascular Exercise

•To achieve important fitness benefits, adults with MS who have mild to moderate disability need at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic activity, 2 times per week.

•Moderate-intensity physical activity is usually a 5 or 6 on a scale of 10 and causes your heart rate to go up.

•Alternatively it is a pace where you can walk and talk but not sing.

•Meeting these guidelines may also reduce fatigue, improve mobility and enhance elements of health related to quality of life.