Exercising in a Wheelchair with MS…UPPER BODY

Exercising when you have multiple sclerosis can be a challenge, especially when you're wheelchair-bound, but it's important to stay active.
Try working out with exercise bands, which can be purchased with different levels of resistance and typically come in a package that allows you to increase the resistance as your strength increases. Each movement will be performed for 3-4 sets. For muscle building, keep the repetitions from 8-10 and for toning from 12-15. Exhale on exertion and inhale at release. Always sit tall in your chair, and keep your abdominals tight. This is a beginner routine so once you're comfortable, add more exercises.

SHOULDER PRESS
-Secure the band, looping under the wheel chair wheels.
-Grasp the band handles and position them around the shoulder area.
-Keep your forearms straight and your hands at ear level.
-Next, press the bands over your head. The arms should extend just short of locking the elbows.
-Slowly lower the bands back to the starting position and repeat the movement.

BICEP CURL
-With the band in the same secured position as shoulder press and arms down at sides, grab the resistance band handles.
-Keeping elbows at the side, palms facing outward, slowly raise hands toward the shoulder and slowly return to starting position.
-Make sure to keep your wrists in line with the forearms, not bent.

**With a slight variation of turning the palms in towards your legs, the bicep curl now becomes a seated hammer curl. This movement is used to target primarily the biceps, however because the wrist remains perpendicular to the ground rather than parallel, the forearm also gets a workout.

OVERHEAD TRICEPS EXTENSIONS
-With the band secured under the wheels grasp both handles of the bands and pull the arms close to the sides of your head, elbows pointing forward.
-Extend the arms up, lifting that handle toward the ceiling and slowly release back down to the start position.

*The only movement should be the elbows bending and straightening.
-Keep the elbows pointed forward, not out to the sides.

* Like any exercise program, please consult your healthcare professional before you begin. Please stop immediately if any of the exercises cause pain or harm to your body.

It's important, especially with MS from a wheelchair, to keep the body moving. You have to stay motivated and...NEVER QUIT!!

Exercising in a Wheelchair with MS…LEGS

Exercising when you have multiple sclerosis can be a challenge, especially when you're wheelchair-bound, but it's important to stay active.

Try working out with exercise bands, which can be purchased with different levels of resistance and typically come in a package that allows you to increase the resistance as your strength increases. Each movement will be performed for 3-4 sets. For muscle building, keep the repetitions from 8-10 and for toning from 12-15. Exhale on exertion and inhale at release. Always sit tall in your chair, and keep your abdominals tight. This is a beginner routine so once you're comfortable, add more exercises.

Seated Leg Extensions:
-Place the band's handle on your left foot, making sure it's secure.
-Place the band under the right wheel for resistance, holding the remaining band in your right hand.
-Sit tall in your wheelchair without leaning into the back of the wheelchair.
-Lift your left leg up so that the back of your thigh comes off the wheelchair.
-Keeping your leg elevated, extend your leg out, straightening at the knee and then bend the knee. The only movement should come from bending and extending the knee.
-Keep your left thigh lifted off of your wheelchair the entire time.
-Keep the band on your left foot and move to the next exercise.
-Repeat with the right leg positioning the band under the left wheel.

Inner Thigh Adduction:
-Sit tall in your wheelchair without leaning into the back of the wheelchair.
-Place the band under the right wheel for resistance.
-Extend your left leg. Slowly bring your left leg toward the center of the body and then return back to the starting position while keeping your toes pointed towards the ceiling.
-Keep the band on your left foot and move to the next exercise.
-Repeat with the right leg positioning the band under the left wheel.

Outer Thigh Abduction:
-Sit tall in your wheelchair without leaning into the back of the wheelchair.
- Place the band under the right wheel for resistance.
- Extend your left leg.
-Slowly bring your left leg outward and then return back to the starting position.
-Keep your toes pointed towards the ceiling.
-Repeat with the right leg positioning the band under the left wheel.

Calf Raises:
-Place the middle of the band around your left foot, holding the handles in both hands securely with your elbows at your sides.
-Extend your leg. Point the toes forward and then slowly return to the starting position.
-Keep the band tight and concentrate on flexing and pointing the toes.
-Repeat on the opposite side.

* Like any exercise program, please consult your healthcare professional before you begin. Please stop immediately if any of the exercises cause pain or harm to your body.

It's important, especially with MS from a wheelchair, to keep the body moving. You have to stay motivated and...NEVER QUIT!!

Exercising in a Wheelchair with MS…CHEST

Exercising when you have multiple sclerosis can be a challenge, especially when you're wheelchair-bound, but it's important to stay active.
Try working out with exercise bands, which can be purchased with different levels of resistance and typically come in a package that allows you to increase the resistance as your strength increases. Each movement will be performed for 3-4 sets. For muscle building, keep the repetitions from 8-10 and for toning from 12-15. Exhale on exertion and inhale at release. Always sit tall in your chair, and keep your abdominals tight. This is a beginner routine so once you're comfortable, add more exercises.

CHEST PRESS
-Loop the band around the back of the wheelchair and grasp the handles of the band in each hand at chest level.
-Grasp the band handles back far enough so that you are able to feel the resistance.
-Next, press the bands forward until the arms are straight out in front of you.
-Do not lock the arms. You want to keep the tension throughout the movement and not relax in a locked position.
-Slowly return to the starting position.

CHEST PULL
-Fold your resistance band in half and grip each end in front of your chest, arms away from your body and elbows bent.
-Pull the band apart, bringing it closer to your chest and straightening your arms, and then slowly release it back to the start position. 

* Like any exercise program, please consult your healthcare professional before you begin. Please stop immediately if any of the exercises cause pain or harm to your body.

It's important, especially with MS from a wheelchair, to keep the body moving. You have to stay motivated and...NEVER QUIT!!

Exercising in a Wheelchair with MS…BACK

Exercising when you have multiple sclerosis can be a challenge, especially when you're wheelchair-bound, but it's important to stay active.
Try working out with exercise bands, which can be purchased with different levels of resistance and typically come in a package that allows you to increase the resistance as your strength increases. Each movement will be performed for 3-4 sets. For muscle building, keep the repetitions from 8-10 and for toning from 12-15. Exhale on exertion and inhale at release. Always sit tall in your chair, and keep your abdominals tight. This is a beginner routine so once you're comfortable, add more exercises.

Bent Over Row:
-Place the resistance band under wheels and grasp each handle.
-Bend forward from the waist until your back is parallel to the floor, stretching your arms down toward the floor.
-Pull the handles upward, evenly pulling your shoulder blades together and your elbows toward the ceiling and slowly stretch to the start position.
-Keep your abs engaged to protect your lower back.
-Move your feet closer to the handles to make it harder; closer to the center of the band to make it easier.

Lower Back Extensions:
-Place the resistance band under wheels and grasp each handle.
-Bend forward from the waist until your back is parallel to the floor.
-Keep your elbows bend and tucked in to the sides of the waist.
-Keeping your spine as straight as possible, bend backward from the waist to sit back up and then slowly lower back down to the start position.
-Keep your abs and your spine lengthened. Move your feet closer to the handles to make it harder; closer to the center of the band to make it easier.

*Remember to avoid back injury you must do these exercises slowly without a jerking motion with your back.

* Like any exercise program, please consult your healthcare professional before you begin. Please stop immediately if any of the exercises cause pain or harm to your body.

It's important, especially with MS from a wheelchair, to keep the body moving. You have to stay motivated and...NEVER QUIT!!

Exercising in a Wheelchair with MS…ABDOMINAL

If you have a wheelchair, it's important to exercise your waist and stomach muscles so that they don't become weak and atrophy. To help you exercise your abdominals, there are several conditioning exercises that you can perform while seated in your wheelchair.

Seated Abs Stretch
-Sit at the edge of your wheelchair.
-Extend your legs out and your arms up overhead, stretching through the abs.
-Hold for 10 to 30 seconds.

On the Side
The seated side bend stretch engages the entire side of the waist, the chest and the arms.
-To perform a seated side bend, sit up tall with a straight spine and root your hips down into the wheelchair seat.
-Extend your left arm toward the ceiling, hugging the inside of your upper arm to your left ear.
-Curl your entire upper body and the left arm to the right, making a large "C" shape with your spine.
-To stretch even further, allow your right arm to hang over the right side of your wheelchair toward the floor.
-Hold this stretch for 10 to 15 seconds before pulling your upper body back to center and repeating the stretch on the opposite side.

Twist the Night Away
You can stretch and strengthen the sides of your waist with a simple seated abdominal twist.
-To perform a seated twist, sit up tall in your chair with a straight spine.
-Lengthen your spine, as your twist your entire upper body to the left.
-Place your right hand on the left armrest of your wheelchair and your left hand on the back of your wheelchair.
-Use your hands as leverage to help turn your upper body a bit further to the left.
-Stretch to the left for 10 to 15 seconds before switching sides and twisting your upper body to the right.

Try Stomach Pumps
Stomach pumps are a great exercise to perform if you have low mobility in your upper body and find it hard to twist and move.
-To perform stomach pumps you simply have to pump your stomach muscles.
-Sit up tall with a straight spine and root your hips into the seat of your wheelchair.
-Pulse your abdominal muscles in and out as fast as you can for a 30-second to one-minute cycle.
-As you draw your abdominal muscles in, pull your belly button back toward your spine.
*This exercise can make you feel nauseous if you have food in your stomach, so try to perform this at least two hours after you've eaten a large meal.

Sit and Crunch
Just because you are wheelchair bound doesn't mean that you can't perform crunches for your abdominal muscles.
-To perform a seated crunch, sit up tall with your spine straight and cross your arms across your chest.
-Pull your belly button in toward your spine to engage your core muscles.
-Press your lower back against the back of your wheelchair, as you curl your shoulders, head and chest toward your thighs.
-Straighten your spine and come back to the starting position.
-Perform as many seated crunches as you can in a 30-second to one-minute interval.

* Like any exercise program, please consult your healthcare professional before you begin. Please stop immediately if any of the exercises cause pain or harm to your body.
It's important, especially with MS from a wheelchair, to keep the body moving. You have to stay motivated and...NEVER QUIT!!