The Interdisciplinary Approach in Rehabilitation to Multiple Sclerosis Care

By: Morgan Largen, PT, DPT, NCS, MSCS

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Multiple Sclerosis (MS) affects nearly one million people in the United States alone. MS is an immune-mediated disease in which the body’s immune system attacks the myelin insulation that surrounds the nerves in the central nervous system. This damage causes widespread symptoms varying in severity, including fatigue, weakness, sensation loss, visual impairments, and walking and balance impairments. These symptoms of MS can impact someone’s mobility, quality of life, ability to work and provide for their family, relationships, and community participation. Because these symptoms can impact so many aspects of a person’s life, a physical rehabilitative care team should consist of multiple disciplines that work together to provide a collaborative, all-encompassing care plan called interdisciplinary care.

Physical Therapy (PT) for MS

Physical therapists address all aspects of mobility within the home and in the community, such as getting in and out of a bed, a chair, or a car and walking in the home, park, or grocery store. This will include addressing the physical impairments that impact mobility such as balance, walking, strength, endurance, and pain. PTs work to establish an exercise program at any disability level to prevent secondary complications and provide strategies for energy conservation as it relates to fatigue with mobility and daily function.

Occupational Therapy (OT) for MS

Occupational therapy focuses on optimizing independence with work tasks, leisure activities, and activities of daily living (ADLs) such as toileting, dressing, cooking, driving, etc. This includes treating impairments such as fine motor skills, coordination, and upper body strength and function. OTs also provide strategies and techniques for energy conservation as it relates to fatigue with daily function.

Speech Therapy for MS

Speech-language pathologists work to enhance communication, voice, thinking, reasoning, concentration, memory, and swallowing. This could include training in various cognitive processes (i.e., thinking and memory); compensatory strategies; and oral, motor, vocal, and swallow training to optimize a patient’s daily functional needs such as eating, problem-solving, and speaking.

Recreational Therapy (RT) for MS

Recreational therapists support comprehensive rehabilitation and recovery through leisure activities, outings, games, and socialization. They strive to get individuals to participate in activities that they enjoy and help to facilitate participation in the community.

Mental Health Professionals for MS

Psychiatrists, counselors, and social workers work to address the emotional changes that occur with MS, including depression, anxiety, grief, worry, and fear. They can provide strategies for coping, stress management, education, and communication skills to address the emotional challenges that can impact the person living with MS and their families.

While there is no cure for multiple sclerosis (MS), managing the symptoms through an interdisciplinary approach of physical, occupational, speech-language, recreational, and psychological therapies can help people living with MS optimize function and independence to live a full, productive life.

Sheltering Arms Institute offers Multiple Sclerosis-specific physical rehabilitation in both the inpatient and outpatient settings to support the physical, emotional, and cognitive well-being of individuals living with MS.

To schedule an appointment, please visit www.shelteringarmsinstitute.com/contact-us or call (804) 764-1000.

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