HD PHYSICAL THERAPY Marks National MS Education & Awareness Month

March is National MS Education and Awareness Month! It is an effort by the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation (MSF) to raise the public's awareness of multiple sclerosis. The vital goals of this campaign are to promote an understanding of the scope of the disease, and to assist those with MS in making educated decisions about their healthcare.

A diagnosis of MS does not necessarily mean that you will experience severe disability. With proper medical and physical therapy management, MS can be viewed as a disease that can be managed over a lifetime. MS is a disease of mobility. PT is indicated for the treatment of mobility deficits; a referral to physical therapy should come as early as possible in the course of the disease, before deficits can become profoundly disabling.

The mobility deficits that are seen in MS are multifactorial. Loss of strength, range of motion, endurance, gait and balance occur as a result of a complex assortment of interacting factors. Physical therapists are uniquely trained to evaluate, assess and treat the mobility deficits that occur in MS.

Physical therapists can help many MS patients with their primary and secondary symptoms. You may lack coordination, feel tired, have involuntary movements, resist movement (spasticity) and have pain. Primary symptoms can then make you move less. As a result, you may experience secondary symptoms like feeling tightness, pain and weakness, especially in the muscles and joints.

“Physical therapy cannot cure primary MS symptoms because, at this time, neurological damage cannot be reversed. However, it can be helpful by providing compensatory treatments. These treatments enable you to compensate for the physical changes brought on by MS; they can include learning new movement techniques, strategies and equipment,” says HDPT co-founder and president, Dr. Glenn D’Addario, MSPT. “The right therapy can be very helpful with decreasing the secondary symptoms of MS. A trained physical therapist can teach you exercises you can use to strengthen and stretch muscles, while maintaining mobility. This can improve your independence and quality of life, and help relieve pain.” 

About HD Physical Therapy

At HDPT we are committed to the health and happiness of our patients. Everyday we work to restore each person's maximal function with consistency and compassion. Offering distinctive, inventive and proven rehabilitation treatment, our devoted professionals strive to deliver a successful and enjoyable experience to every patient we meet. For more information about HD Physical Therapy, or to make an appointment today, please call HDPT at 781.587.0776 or visit www.HDPTonline.com.