Multiple sclerosis (MS) & mobility: Mastering the challenges together

This common symptom occurs when inflammation begins to damage the nerves that control your muscles, and can occur in many parts of the body depending on where MS has damaged your central nervous system.

For example, weakness in the legs, ankles, or feet can interfere with your ability to walk, making it more difficult to move around your home, go to work, or participate in many other activities you enjoy.

Over 80% of people with MS report feeling fatigued.[13] Whether exhaustion is mental, physical, or both, this symptom can make it difficult to function — even in people who have little or no other activity limitations.

MS can cause abnormal sensations in many parts of your body – often your face, trunk, arms and leg.[14]

You may feel that numb or tingling sensation in many different ways [15]:

• Pins and needles, or a tingling, buzzing, or crawling sensation

• A burning sensation

• Changes in sensation, such as a nonpainful contact suddenly becoming painful

• Increased sensitivity

• Loss of sensation

The vast majority of people with multiple sclerosis experience some problems with bowel or bladder control. These symptoms occur when MS attacks areas of your brain or spinal cord that send signals to your digestive tract or bladder.[16,17]

If MS damages those nerves, you may experience:

• Increased urinary frequency or urgency

• Urine retention or leaking

• Constipation

• Incontinence

Pain from MS can affect the muscles, ligaments, tendons, bones, and nerves anywhere in the body. It’s a common symptom for people living with this condition, and can greatly limit your ability to pursue and enjoy many activities – from simple tasks like getting dressed, to taking part in family activities, and more.[2]

MS-related pain can come on and resolve quickly, or it may develop slowly and persist. It typically comes in two forms [18]:

• Neuropathic pain: This type of pain is a direct result of MS and the damage it causes to nerves in your central nervous system. It can feel like a burning sensation, aching, or pins and needles.

• Musculoskeletal Pain: This form is the result of weakness, stiffness or other mobility problems related to MS. For example, weakness in your leg may have caused you to walk differently, leading to pain in your back and hip.

A complex nerve pathway helps control and coordinate the way your body moves. When MS damages those nerves, it can cause involuntary movement of the limbs, trunk, or head.[19]

Tremor can make simple activities much more challenging – such as eating, getting dressed, or cooking. It can have a big emotional and social impact. Some tremor symptoms may look like clumsiness or awkwardness, which can leave some patients feeling embarrassed or self-conscious about their condition.

For many people, this is one of the very first symptoms of MS.[20] When MS attacks the optic nerve or nerves that control your eye movements, it can cause problems such as blurred, grayed, or double vision, temporary partial blindness, and uncontrolled movement of the eye.

While these symptoms rarely progress to complete blindness, they can still be very disruptive to your day-to-day life. Driving, cycling, housekeeping, cooking, and many other daily activities can be much more difficult when MS impairs your vision.

This common symptom occurs when damage to the nerves that control your muscles causes them to involuntarily tighten, stiffen, or spasm. Spasticity can affect muscles throughout the body, including the legs, arms, and neck.

Spasms in those areas can make many daily activities much more challenging. Spasticity in your feet or legs can make it difficult to walk, climb stairs, or cross your legs. If muscles in your arms contract, it may be hard to eat, groom yourself, or use touchscreen devices.

MS can impact your mobility at any stage of the condition. But as it advances, MS can sometimes lead to more severe issues with balance and coordination that can make it difficult to move freely around your home, work, or other environments.

Some people living with MS may find their movements becoming progressively more unsteady and uncoordinated, and may rely on mobility aid like a wheelchair to get around safely. Over time, about half of people with MS will need some assistance to walk, and about 10% will need a wheelchair.[21]

If your MS affects nerves in your brain, it may ultimately lead to some difficulties with memory and clear thinking. Many patients with MS report experiencing a kind of “brain fog” – trouble finding the right words, remembering things, or forming thoughts quickly.[22]

Over time, MS isn’t likely to affect basic functions like your general intellect, long-term memory, conversational skill, or reading comprehension. But it can still cause changes to many higher-level functions like focus, organization, perception, and memory.[23]

It’s not uncommon for people living with MS to develop some form of difficulty with their speech. This can occur when MS disrupts nerve signals or weakens muscles in the lower face, lips, tongue, and throat.[24]

When MS makes it harder to control or coordinate those areas of your body, it may be more difficult for you to pronounce certain sounds, speak loud enough to be heard, or speak at a natural rate.[25]

If you’re like many people affected by a debilitating condition, living with MS can often be a challenging, stressful, and anxious experience. Over time, dealing with many of those feelings can lead to serious mental health issues – including depression.

If living with MS has affected your mental and emotional wellbeing, you’re far from alone: 50% of people impacted by this condition experience some form of depression, as well as its effects on sleep, appetite, motivation, concentration, and more.[26,27] Seeking support for those feelings and experiences is often an essential part of managing MS.

Many factors can impact exactly how long someone may live with this condition, including their unique set of symptoms, other medical conditions they may have, their environment, and many other considerations.

Recent studies in North America and Europe have shown that people living with MS live well into their 70s on average, though their life expectancy is typically lower than that of the general population.[29,30]

Absolutely! The latest disease-modifying drug therapies, symptomatic treatments, and mobility-related support solutions can help people with multiple sclerosis maintain their independence.

Even if symptoms begin to interfere with daily life, independent living resources are also available, such as Aging & Disability Resource Centers, Home & Community-Based Services, and Centers for Independent Living.[31]

Multiple sclerosis is diagnosed by a neurologist, who should also be able to tell you what type you have (RRMS, SPMS, PPMS, or another type).[32]

MS affects every person who has it differently. The condition’s progression and symptoms are extremely difficult to predict, but you can connect with others who have been diagnosed with the same type of MS as you via social media and/or support groups to learn about their journeys.[1,2]

Muscle weakness, spasticity, pain and other commonly reported symptoms of multiple sclerosis can significantly impact a person’s ability to walk or move freely.[12]

Fortunately, there are many treatment options available, including mobility support solutions, that can help people with MS maintain their mobility and independence.[14]

No, at this time there is no cure for multiple sclerosis. But while it may be a lifelong condition, there are many effective ways to manage both the condition and its symptoms.

Numerous forms of disease-modifying drugs (DMDs) can help slow the progression of MS or address its underlying cause, while many other treatments are available for symptoms like depression, pain, spasticity, and more. If you’re experiencing one of the many mobility issues MS can cause, many of those symptoms can also be addressed with orthotics, assistive devices, or other NeuroMobility solutions.

MS symptoms can be unpredictable. The way they appear and progress may depend on which of the three main types of MS you’re living with.

Symptoms of Relapsing Remitting MS (RRMS) may flare up for days or months (relapse) but then be followed by a symptom-free period that may last months or years. Symptoms of Secondary Progressive MS (SPMS) and Primary-Progressive MS may persist, never fully go away, or get continually worse over time.[33]

1. What is MS? National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Accessed February 13, 2024.https://www.nationalmssociety.org/What-is-MS

2. About MS. EMSP. Updated November 5, 2021. Accessed February 13, 2024.https://emsp.org/about-ms/

3. Kos D, Eijssen I, Bekkering GE, et al. Occupational therapy in multiple sclerosis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2023;2023(5):CD015371. Published 2023 May 3. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD015371

4. Dimitrov LG, Turner B. What's new in multiple sclerosis? Br J Gen Pract. 2014;64(629):612-613. doi:10.3399/bjgp14X682609

5. 7MM sex-specific diagnosed prevalent cases of MS, both sexes, all ages, 2016. GlobalData. Accessed via: The burden of multiple sclerosis is twice as high in women. Clinical Trials Arena. Updated November 20, 2017. Accessed February 13, 2024.https://www.clinicaltrialsarena.com/comment/burden-multiple-sclerosis-twice-high-women/

6. Schwendimann RN, Alekseeva N. Gender Issues in Multiple Sclerosis. International Review of Neurobiology, Academic Press. 2007;79:277-392.https://doi.org/10.1016/S0074-7742(07)79017-7.

7. About Multiple Sclerosis (MS). PennMedicine. Accessed February 13, 2024.https://www.pennmedicine.org/for-patients-and-visitors/patient-information/conditions-treated-a-to-z/multiple-sclerosis-ms

8. Types of multiple sclerosis. Multiple Sclerosis Association of America. Accessed February 13, 2024.https://mymsaa.org/ms-information/overview/types/

9. Diagnosis (Multiple Sclerosis). National Health System. Accessed March 1, 2024.https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/multiple-sclerosis/diagnosis/ 

10. How is Multiple Sclerosis Diagnosed? National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Accessed February 13, 2024.https://www.nationalmssociety.org/Symptoms-Diagnosis/Diagnosing-MS

11. Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Johns Hopkins Medicine. Accessed February 13, 2024.https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/multiple-sclerosis-ms

12. Restivo J. Multiple sclerosis symptoms: What you need to know. Harvard Health Publishing, Harvard Medical School. August 8, 2023. Accessed February 13, 2024.https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/multiple-sclerosis-symptoms-what-you-need-to-know

13. Hauser SL, Goodwin DS. Multiple sclerosis and other demyelinating diseases. In: Fauci AS, Braunwald E, Kasper DL, Hauser SL, editors. Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine. 17th ed. II. New York: McGraw-Hill Medical; 2008. pp. 2611–2621.

14. Numbness (MS Symptoms). National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Accessed March 1, 2024.https://www.nationalmssociety.org/Symptoms-Diagnosis/MS-Symptoms/Numbness 

15. Numbness (Multiple Sclerosis Symptoms). Multiple Sclerosis Association of America. Accessed March 1, 2024.https://mymsaa.org/ms-information/symptoms/numbness/ 

16. Bladder Dysfunction (Multiple Sclerosis Symptoms). Multiple Sclerosis Association of America. Accessed March 1, 2024.https://mymsaa.org/ms-information/symptoms/bladder-dysfunction 

17. Bowel Problems (Multiple Sclerosis Symptoms). Multiple Sclerosis Association of America. Accessed March 1, 2024.https://mymsaa.org/ms-information/symptoms/bowel-problems/

18. Pain in Itching (MS Symptoms). National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Accessed March 1, 2024.https://www.nationalmssociety.org/Symptoms-Diagnosis/MS-Symptoms/Pain

19. Tremor (MS Symptoms). National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Accessed March 1, 2024.https://www.nationalmssociety.org/Symptoms-Diagnosis/MS-Symptoms/Tremor

20. Vision Problems (MS Symptoms). National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Accessed March 1, 2024.https://www.nationalmssociety.org/Symptoms-Diagnosis/MS-Symptoms/Vision-Problems

21. Coca-Tapia M, Cuesta-Gómez A, et al. Gait Pattern in People with Multiple Sclerosis: A Systematic Review. Diagnostics (Basel). 2021 Mar 24;11(4):584. doi: 10.3390.

22. Memory and Thinking (Signs and Symptoms of MS). Multiple Sclerosis Society. Accessed March 1, 2024.https://www.mssociety.org.uk/about-ms/signs-and-symptoms/memory-and-thinking

23. Cognitive Changes (MS Symptoms). National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Accessed March 1, 2024.https://www.nationalmssociety.org/Symptoms-Diagnosis/MS-Symptoms/Cognitive-Changes

24. Speech Difficulties (Multiple Sclerosis Symptoms). Multiple Sclerosis Association of America. Accessed March 1, 2024.https://mymsaa.org/ms-information/symptoms/speech/

25. Plotas P, Nanousi V, Kantanis A, et al. Speech deficits in multiple sclerosis: a narrative review of the existing literature. Eur J Med Res. 2023 Jul 24;28(1):252. doi: 10.1186/s40001-023-01230-3

26. Feinstein A. Multiple sclerosis and depression. Multiple Sclerosis Journal. 2011;17(11):1276-1281. doi:10.1177/1352458511417835

27. Depression (Multiple Sclerosis Symptoms). Multiple Sclerosis Association of America. Accessed March 1, 2024.https://mymsaa.org/ms-information/symptoms/depression/

28. How Is MS Treated? Multiple Sclerosis Trust. Updated April 1, 2022. Accessed February 14, 2024.https://mstrust.org.uk/information-support/ms-drugs-treatments/how-is-ms-treated

29. Lunde HMB, Assmus J, Myhr K, et alSurvival and cause of death in multiple sclerosis: a 60-year longitudinal population studyJournal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry 2017;88:621-625.

30. Marrie RA, Elliott L, Marriott J, et al. Effect of comorbidity on mortality in multiple sclerosis. Neurology. 2015;85(3):240-247. doi:10.1212/WNL.0000000000001718

31. Guide to understanding independent living resources. National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Accessed February 16, 2024.https://www.nationalmssociety.org/Resources-Support/Find-Doctors-Resources/Guides/Independent-Living

32. How is MS diagnosed? MS Society. Accessed February 16, 2024.https://www.mssociety.org.uk/about-ms/diagnosis/the-tests-for-ms

33. Multiple Sclerosis. National Institutes of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Accessed March 1, 2024.https://www.ninds.nih.gov/health-information/disorders/multiple-sclerosis