European University of Lefke (EUL) Faculty of Health Sciences Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Academician Assoc. Prof. Dr. Serkan Bakırhan gave detailed information on Musculoskeletal System Affect in Multiple Sclerosis.

Bakırhan; MS also has significant effects on muscle and bone structure

Bakırhan described Multiple Sclerosis as a neurological disease caused by the damage of the myelin sheaths that transmit the stimuli on the brain, spinal cord and skeletal muscle formed by the interaction of genetic and environmental factors. Bakırhan listed the symptoms of MS as; muscle weakness, sensory, visual, intestinal-bladder problems and perception disorders in patients and said that “Apart from these symptoms, MS also has significant effects on muscle and bone structure. The first of the muscular symptoms is spasticity, manifested by an unusual increase in muscle tone”. Bakırhan pointed out that spasticity can be seen at different levels in MS patients, starting from mild to painful muscle spasms, and it occurs mostly in the legs and later in the arm muscles and he also said that, “In patients, pain and walking disturbances arise due to muscular force imbalances”.  Bakırhan other problems related to muscle structure in MS are the symptoms caused by decreased muscle tone and loss of muscle strength and that the current complaints of the patients are reduced by applying many treatment methods such as in-water exercise methods for preventing joint deformities of muscular stretching, which will be given by physiotherapists during this period.

Bakırhan said that, “Other important problems of the musculoskeletal system in patients with multiple sclerosis are bone related types. Especially in patients with MS, when the disease is exacerbated, due to intensive steroid drug use, there are balance deficiencies due to nutritional deficiencies and decreased bone mineral density in the hip joint”, and added that osteoporosis resulting from low bone mass in MS patients may result in bone fragility and thus the likelihood of fractures may increase.

Bakırhan: It is aimed to increase the patient’s quality of life with the provided exercises

Bakırhan pointed out that while attempting to reduce bone loss and joint deformities in MS patients with physiotherapy programs, it is aimed to increase the control of bone-muscle mass and joint structures. Bakırhan emphasized that it is aimed to increase the patient’s quality of life with the provided exercises such as strengthening, endurance, aerobic, respiration, stretching, balance and coordination exercises and added that, “For this reason, MS patients are among the group of patients who receive the highest benefit level of exercise given by physiotherapists in neurological disease groups”.