OT and Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is the most common cause of non-traumatic disability in people aged 18-65 years. 

As rehab professionals, we know that exercise is one of the mainstays of treatment for these clients.

Though not definitively established, exercise has the most potential promise to be disease modifying if started early in the course of disease. But, alongside exercise there are other important interventions to consider like fatigue management and education.

In the article review, we will look at a massive overview of reviews (72 articles were included!). The article outlines the strength of the evidence being multiple types of rehab interventions.

Then, we are excited to welcome to the podcast Sarah Adam, OTD, an occupational therapist with MS who has taken her pursuit of adaptive sports to an elite level—and recently earned Silver in wheelchair rugby at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. Sarah was the first woman to ever play on Team USA’s wheelchair rugby team, also made history as the first woman to score a point during an Olympic wheelchair rugby game. We clearly have so much to learn from Sarah that I know will inspire your OT practice.

1. You will be able to identify which OT interventions for MS have the strongest support in research.

2. You will be able to recognize considerations for implementing exercise-based interventions for people with MS.

• Intro and breakdown and analysis of journal article

  • Quick Intro to MS and Rehab

  • Intent of this research

  • What were their methods?

  • What were their results?

  • Article discussion/conclusion

• Discussion on practical implications for OTs

  • Can you tell me about getting diagnosed with MS and how it intersected with your OT career?

  • Have you formally received OT, or do you OT yourself?

  • How is being a silver medalist at the paralympics shaping your identity?

  • What were your impressions of this article?

  • What advice do you have for OT who are goal setting with people with MS?

  • Exercise was such a key component of this review, what have you learned about exercise and MS that you want OTs to know?

  • Fatigue management had strong evidence behind it. I know that you prioritize rest, what have you learned that could be helpful to OTs?

  • Providing patient education identified as a key role for OTs. What practical tips do you have for us for providing education that is actually helpful?

  • Do you see roles for OTs in nutrition and things like mindfulness-based stress reduction?

  • How does the OT field need to change over the next 5 years to provide better care to people with MS?

Primary

• Effective rehabilitation interventions and participation among people with multiple sclerosis: An overview of reviews

Additional

• Multiple sclerosis and exercise—A disease-modifying intervention of mice or men?

• Effect of Exercise on Fatigue in Multiple Sclerosis: A Network Meta-analysis Comparing Different Types of Exercise

It is the policy of OT Potential to disclose any financial and non-financial interest the provider or instructor may have in a product or service mentioned during an activity. This is to ensure that the audience is made aware of any bias of the speaker.

OT Potential pays guest speakers an honorarium for their participation, either directly or to an institution of the speaker's choosing at their request. We invite guests whose expertise often comes from practices, programs, or building products in their field. Where a speaker has a financial interest in the subject of a course, we disclose it below so you can weigh it for yourself.

OT Potential's interest in this topic: We have no financial stake in this topic.

Speaker interests: Sarah Adam has no financial interest in this topic to disclose.