Exercise and MND

Physical activity is anything that involves body movement and raises breathing and heart rates. This includes daily activities like cleaning and gardening, as well as things like walking and bicycle riding. Physical activity is good for your body, your mind and your overall wellbeing. Staying active in ways you enjoy can help with motivation. Exercise refers to physical activities that are planned and structured. With exercise, people move their muscles to stay physically fit or to improve health.

Health benefits of exercise include:

• lower blood pressure

• lower cholesterol

• helps with pain

• less stress and anxiety

• helps with sleep.

As exercise can be done with others, it can also help you to stay connected with friends and your community.

Research has shown that moderate-intensity exercise helps people living with MND. Benefits include positive changes to physical health and quality of life. Exercise does not strengthen muscles already weakened by MND, but it can help to slow down the decline. This is because exercise can make healthy muscles stronger.

Doing specially-designed exercises under the guidance of experts can help you:

• stay strong and mobile for longer
• maintain range of movement in your joints and reduce stiffness
• naturally lift your mood and reduce feelings of sadness or anxiety
• allow you to enjoy exercising in a safe way.

To make sure you are doing the right type and amount of exercise for you, talk to your healthcare team.

A physiotherapist or exercise physiologist can work with you to come up with an exercise plan. An exercise plan makes sure that the exercises are tailored to your ability, level of function, and needs. This includes setting limits for intensity and duration.

A tailored program or exercise plan usually includes:

• the type of exercises

  • aerobic exercise to improve fitness (e.g. cycling on a stationary bike)

  • strength exercise to improve weakness (upper and lower body)

  • mobility and stretching (range of motion exercises)

  • balance

  • hydrotherapy

  • a combination of above.

• the intensity level (e.g. low or moderate)

• how often to perform the exercises (e.g. once a day, twice a week)

• duration of each session, and rest time (e.g. 20 minutes with a 5-minute rest)

• how to do the exercises, number of repetitions etc.

Exercise plans can also be address the following issues:

• fatigue and finding ways to get enough rest

• posture

• safety

• which kind of program may be most helpful (i.e active, active-assisted or passive)

• whether members and/or carers are willing and able to help with exercise programs.

Exercises can be done at clinics, in pools as part of hydrotherapy, or other places you can access and feel comfortable. Exercises may also be done at home after a health professional has shown you how to do them safely.

Exercising with MND can present many challenges. Some of these are:

• needing someone to provide physical support
• fatigue
• financial cost
• trouble getting to exercise sessions
• thoughts about whether exercising when living with MND is worth it.

To overcome these challenges, talk with a physiotherapist with experience in MND, or your healthcare team. They can assist you explore what's available and what's best for you.

You can also check if your Aged Care or NDIS package could help cover the cost of this support. Your MND Advisor or Support Coordinator can help with this. If you have health insurance, check with your fund about what they cover.

MND is progressive. This means you will likely need to use assistive equipment at some stage. You may need devices such as a brace or splint. These support joint alignment where muscle strength or tone is uneven.

Physiotherapists can help you stay physically active for as long as possible. They can also address fatigue and other barriers. When active movement is not possible, activities like active-assisted arm or leg cycling may help.

Managing day to day with MND – easy to read information about managing day to day life with MND, including managing cramps and pain, mobility and physical activity.
Exercise and MND – short animation about how exercise can help people living with MND maintain strength, mobility, balance and overall wellbeing, for longer.