10 msfocusmagazine.org DECLARE YOUR INDEPENDENCE USING MOBILITY AIDS By Patricia Bobryk, MHS, PT, MSCS, ATP When I meet with a new patient I always ask them, “What are your goals for coming to physical therapy?” The majority of the time, the response I get is, “I want to keep my mobility and stay independent.” “Mobility” is an excellent term because it encompasses all of our movements. Mobility is more than walking. It includes moving into bed, getting on and off the commode, transferring in and out of the car, climbing stairs, and a wide variety of other activities. Simply stated, mobility is any time you move your body from one place to another. It is estimated that more than 75 percent of persons with MS will have some problem with their mobility during the course of their disease. Mobility issues can happen even early in the disease and can negatively affect your quality of life, your emotional state, and your ability to participate in activities that are important to you. Changes in mobility can occur for a variety of reasons. Symptoms such as weakness, spasticity, fatigue, and impaired balance can alter how your movements are performed, and the amount of energy it takes to perform them. Sometimes other issues interfere with mobility,suchaspainorchangesinyourvision. The inability to get the proper messages from your sensory systems to your brain, as well as changes in your thinking skills, can cause problems with interpreting your environment, which can place your safety at risk. At times, changes in your mobility have nothing to do with MS. Other conditions (like arthritis), medication side effects, or deconditioning can also influence how you move. Many times, the limitation lies in the environment itself. Do you live in a home with lots of stairs, narrow spaces, or spaces with lots of clutter? The barrier may not be a narrow space, but a large open space with surfaces that are not easily moved over, such as thick carpeting or very slick surfaces. In your community, curbs, uneven surfaces, or accessibility of buildings might be the challenge. Another significant issue that contributes to problems with mobility is the fear of falling. Having a previous fall, or even a near fall, can undermine your confidence and cause you to avoid certain activities. The bottom line is that mobility issues, no matter thecause,mayrestrictyourabilitytoparticipate in work, family, social, occupational, or leisure activities. Starting to use a mobility aid, such as a cane, walker, wheelchair, brace, shower bench, or a vehicle adaptation, can feel like a huge step. When faced with the possibility of using a mobility aid, people with MS often view it as a failure or as giving into the disease. Some people feel that once they use an Symptom Management