The goal of rehabilitation is to improve and/or maintain function.
From the time of diagnosis onward, rehab specialists provide
education and treatment designed to promote good health and
general conditioning, reduce fatigue, and help you feel and
function at your best—at home and at work. If symptoms
begin to interfere with everyday activities, a rehab team can
address problems with mobility, dressing and personal care,
role performance at home and work, and overall fitness. They
also provide evaluation and treatment of speech and swallowing
difficulties and problems with thinking and memory.
Rehabilitation is considered a necessary component of comprehensive,
quality health care for people with MS, at all stages of the
disease.
Types of Rehabilitation Therapies
» Physiotherapy (PT)
The physiotherapist evaluates and addresses
the body’s
ability to move and function, with particular emphasis on walking,
strength, balance, posture, fatigue, and pain. PT might include
stretching, range-of-motion and strengthening exercises, gait
training, and training in the use of mobility aids (canes, crutches,
scooters and wheelchairs) and other assistive devices. The ultimate
goal is to achieve and maintain optimal functioning and prevent
unnecessary complications such as de-conditioning, muscle weakness
from lack of mobility, and muscle contractures related to spasticity.
» Occupational Therapy (OT)
The goal of OT is
to enhance independence, productivity, and safety in all activities
related to personal care, employment, and leisure activities.
Occupational therapists provide training in energy conservation
techniques and the use of adaptive tools and devices to simplify
tasks at home and in the office. They recommend strategic modifications
to the home and workplace to ensure accessibility and convenience.
Occupational therapists also evaluate and treat problems with
thinking and memory.
» Therapy for Speech and Swallowing Problems
The speech/language
pathologist (SLP) evaluates and treats problems with speech and/or
swallowing—both of which can
result from damage in the CNS that reduces control of the muscles
used in these important functions. The goal of therapy is to
enhance ease and clarity of communication and promote safe swallowing
and overall health. Some SLPs also evaluate and treat problems
with thinking and memory.
» Therapy for Depression
Psychologists and psychiatrists may be
helpful for mood or cognitive changes. Having to deal with MS
can cause depression for some,
but the disease process itself can also play a role. While
depression is very common in people with MS, it is also very treatable.
» Cognitive Rehabilitation
Neuropsychologists, as well as
many occupational therapists and speech/language pathologists,
evaluate and treat changes in a
person’s ability to think, reason, concentrate or remember.
While these professionals use different evaluation and treatment
strategies, they share the common goal of helping people function
optimally if cognitive changes are experienced.
» Social Workers
Social workers assess social needs and can help refer you to
key resources. Social workers can help you navigate concerns
related to income maintenance, insurance, housing, long-term
care options etc.
» Vocational Rehabilitation
Provincial vocational rehab programs
offer job readiness training, job coaching, job placement assistance,
mobility training, and assistive technology assessments—with
the goal of helping people maintain their current employment
or find new employment that accommodates their needs.
Improve your fitness and experience the benefits
of exercise
Exercise at home with the DVD “It’s Your Choice.” This
exercise video program was designed by physiotherapists at
Toronto Rehabilitation Institute. It targets the effects of
MS while building energy, strength, balance and flexibility.
Five different programs of varying duration and challenge demonstrate
exercises at three different levels of difficulty so the viewer
can work out at their own optimal level of challenge. Before
undertaking any new exercise program you should seek approval
from your physician.
Exercise at home with the DVD “It’s Your Choice.” This
exercise video program was designed by physiotherapists at
Toronto Rehabilitation Institute. It targets the effects of
MS while building energy, strength, balance and flexibility.
Five different programs of varying duration and challenge demonstrate
exercises at three different levels of difficulty so the viewer
can work out at their own optimal level of challenge. Before
undertaking any new exercise program you should seek approval
from your physician.