b'Life with MS* Vestibular Stimulation #3Sit-Stand-Turn* TouchStimulation #1Textured InsolesAs a progression from exercise #2, the Texture, or two-point discrimination, is onesit-stand-turn will further challenge the of the most effective ways for reconnectingvestibular system by turning the whole body. toyourfeet. A2016studyshowedanSimilar to exercise #2, xate the gaze on an improvement in gait patterns in MS patientsobject when going from a sit to stand. Once wearing textured insoles. When worn daily,standing, slowly turn the entire body clockwise subjectshaveassociatedtexturedinsolesuntil you make one complete turn. Upon with improved foot sensation and balancereturning to the start position, re-xate the coordination. gazeontheobjectandslowlyreturntoa * Touch Stimulation #2Whole Body Vibrationseated position. Perform ve times clockwise Another stimulation that feet are sensitiveand ve times counter clockwise. to is vibration. Dynamic movement createsSensory Gateway #3Touch vibration upon foot contact, making the simpleact of walking an eective means to improveThe nal sensory system for improving vibratory stimulation. In those that have limitedbalanceistouch.Ourhandsandfeetare mobility,wholebodyvibrationplatformssome the most sensation-sensitive areas of oer a similar benet. Mimicking the impactthe body, allowing us to connect our visual forcesofwalking,WBVcanstimulatetheinput with the external world.nerves in the feet, build bone density, andNeuropathies and disruptions in peripheral enhance muscle strength.proprioception are often associated with MS * Touch Stimulation #3Sit-Stand-Turn and should be addressed before the onset of Daily release of the feet on a lacrosse ballsymptoms.Tofullybenefitfromtouch or foot roller is an easy and eective way tostimulation,itisimportanttounderstand improvebalance.Arecentstudyfoundwhat stimuli our skin responds to.immediate improvement in balance after footThe power of touch is associated with the massage. The foot release can be performeduniqueness in the nerves of the plantar foot. seated or standing, with a slow increase inThe smooth skin of the feet contain special pressure to the bottom of the foot. Try to rollnerves called mechanoceptors. These out all areas of the bottom of the foot for amechanoceptorsaresensitivetodierent total of ve minutes per foot. stimuli including texture, skin stretch, pressure As you begin to integrate these exercisesand vibration.into your program, remember that consistencyis the best kept secret to seeing a benet. JustBy integrating products that feature this ve to ten minutes a day, every day, of thestimuli, one can expect an improvement in above exercises will translate to better balance.balance,posture,andgait.Herearesome Try to make all of the above tips a part of yourways to begin to integrate touch into your lifestyle and soon you will be on your way tomovement program. movement condence.msfocusmagazine.org 48'