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Strength training is essential for keeping muscles conditioned and ready to work to their fullest potential. It allows muscles unaffected by MS to compensate for those muscles that are affected by the disease. Strength training also prevents the affected muscles from growing weaker through disuse and further reduces weakness (though more gradually) by boosting energy and decreasing MS-related fatigue.

Strength training does not increase core body temperature as much as aerobic exercise does, but as a rule, people with MS should follow a low-intensity routine to avoid muscle fatigue. Whether you’re using free weights (dumbbells), weight machines, or just the weight of your own body or limbs (eg, sit-to-stand movements, hamstring curls, chair push-ups), always begin with the lightest weights and the fewest repetitions and progress to heavier weights slowly. In a study with MS patients at the University of Florida, low-intensity workouts with standard gym equipment improved muscle strength and reduced overall fatigue and disability in just 8 weeks. The regimen consisted of no more than 30 minutes of supervised training twice weekly, with very gradual progression to heavier resistances.