b'Muscle spasms are involuntary contractions (tightness) that occur because of various reasons such as fatigue or not using the muscle enough. The result of spasms and spasticity is stiff and painful feelings of your muscle that can cause movement to be difficult. Additionally, the stiff-ness of your joints can lead to lower back pain which further contributes to the pain. Ataxia: Approximately four out of ve people living with MS experience ataxia at some point in their life. Ataxia is a lack of coordination of muscle movement that can present as unsteady gait, impaired eye, and limb movements, and sometimes dizziness. Some of the early symptoms of ataxia are changes in your balance and coordination, slurring of your speech, and difficulty writing or eating. The severity of ataxia depends on the myelin damage to the central nervous system. Restless leg syndrome: Nearly one-quarter of people with MS experience restless legs syndrome, compared with less than 4 percent in people without the disease. Restless leg syndrome causes an urgent need to move the legs due to discomfort. RLS is one of the most common symptoms seen in people with MS. One of the main concerns of RLS is how it can worsen another symptomfatigue. Sleep is a crucial part of day because it allows the body to rest and heal. When RLS is in the picture, sleep can be affected and cause daytime drowsiness and lead to further fatigue.Experiencing any of these movement issues can hinder your daily life, which may lead to changes in your overall mood and your relationships, both personal and work-related. Movement is an important part of daily routines and feeling your best by moving as much as you can allows your mood to also be improved. If you are feeling concerns with your movement, it may be time to have a discussion with your healthcare team on how to improve these symptoms.Tell us what you want to see in MS Focus Magazine.Email comments to: editor@msfocus.org or write to: Editor, MS Focus 6520 N. Andrews Ave., Fort Lauderdale, FL 3330939 msfocusmagazine.org'