Has Anyone Trained someone with M.S.? - Personal Trainer Community - Forum

[muscletrainerdh-NSCA CPT]

I've got a potential client couple and the husband has had Multiple Sclerosis for the past 16 years.

I know that MS affects balance, and the husband uses a cane to walk, just wondering if the wife thinks I'm a Physical Therapist?

If you've trained somone with MS, could you let me know what to expect?

Thanks,

Dave

[Christina]

Dave,

Pages 563 - 567 of NSCA's Essentials of Personal Training talks about MS. You might find this helpful.

Christina

[muscletrainerdh-NSCA CPT]

Thanks Christina,

I will check those pages out.

It's amazing to me how many people have "answered" my ad and 75% of them have some sort of special physical condition:

Multiple Hernias
Multiple Sclerosis
Reconstructed Knees
Reconstructed Ankles

I guess "healthy" adults don't need personal trainers? LOL

[Christina]

Dave,

That is so funny b/c I was thinking the other day, "Man, that guy really goes after special populations!" Perhaps you should consider becoming a physical therapist instead! LOL!

Christina

[LauraMomOf4]

Hi,

I'm new here. I myself have MS so of course noticed your post right away. I'm not a personal trainer but am considering this for my own benefit and also as a career change to something a lot more people-oriented and in the wellness field.

MS can be SO variable. Most people who see me would never have a clue that I have MS. But my MS is actually the very thing that caused me to want to start learning about nutrition and fitness in the first place. I believe these both are absolutely essential for anyone with MS who wants to live any kind of a decent life and keep their disease under control.

How did this turn out for you?

Interestingly, the types of people who answered your ad are all exactly the types of people I would be most interested in working with-- people with special needs who are facing challenges and are looking for someone to work with them to help them help themselves.

That's why I asked. Thanks for anything you can share.

[LauraMomOf4]

:P Now with all these pictures of muscley men I hope I'm not going to feel WAY too out of place here and way intimidated like usual... LOL. I am a tiny little thing, 5'6" and 105 pounds... no big muscles here... but we tiny little ladies, even with MS, need to keep in shape too, right?

[NickIrons]

Hello there,

I currently have 4 clients with MS, including my dad. It is sort of a speciatly of mine.

Here is what I would say about training people with MS...


--You have to be patient and creative. Some exercises might not work for them, so you might need to try several different exercises before you find one that works.
--Althought each person with MS is different, I have found that most people with MS have weakness in the same muscle groups, which include:

• Shoulders (the shoulder press is very hard)
  Hip Flexors
  Ankle extensors
  Hamstrings
  Wrist Extensors

--Although MS is a disease of the central nervous system, often, balance issues in MS are caused by weakness in the muscles. So, strengthing the muscles of the leg will often help with balance.

But the most important thing --I think -- is to treat them as your would any other client. Give them the hardest workout they can handle.

Nick Irons