Exercises for Multiple Sclerosis: A Safe and Effective Program to Fight Fatigue, Build Strength, and Improve Balance Paperback – Illustrated, August 1, 2006

I have been battling Multiple Sclerosis for years and I have read almost every book I have run into on the subject. This book is by far the best, for people who are unwilling to surrender to this disease. Brad Hamler clearly understands that it is possible to delay the immobility and other physical problems that MS can cause, by maintaining a focused exercise routine. I had come to the same conclusion myself and I was delighted to read the experiences of a medical service professional, with extensive experience with MS patients, confirming my strategy in battling this disease. I highly recommend this book to anyone with MS. A well focused excercise routine has been the most clearly effective therapy, of all the therapies I have tried. If you have MS, this book will show you how to fight back, and keep active and mobile. Eventually, medical science will develop therapies not requiring this much effort, but until then Brad has the best strategy to battle MS. Continue with whatever drug therapy you may be on, but add Brad's exercise routine to it.

A very useful book -- if anything, it has too many exercises! There are exercises for every muscle, some with hand weights, some with the bar from a set of barbells, some with exercise machinery, and some using chairs or just exercise mats. Lots of options to rotate through. And of course pictures and clear instructions. A good book for anyone starting stretching and resistance training, not just those with ms.

There is nothing surprising in this collection of exercises other than it's addressing exercises that can be attempted in a wheelchair. It's use is really good information about what exercises would be most safe when done during the window of best physical functioning. It is best to figure out exactly when you think you might be able to do these with the best use of fleeting energy. A cool down after exercising should help along with the gentle warm up. During all of it, as in anything else, it would be best to pay attention during every movement to see if it will trigger spasm. There are many to choose from but each body is different and has different physical triggers. We are good at listening to our bodies and the introduction of something new requires trial & error. This book is a nice start. It is refreshing that the exercises don't focus on a completely unaffected girl in tight shorts! Makes the exercises seem more appropriate.

The author of this book seems to have an understanding the problems that go with MS. Being assured that he does seem to understand helps me to feel more comfortable listening to his advice. Most of the time suggestions seem not to take into consideration the problems that are true with a MS patient and promote ideas that work but needs me to figure out the adaptations. I feel very comfortable listening to this author's suggestions.

FIRST, I RECEIVED THE BOOK SUPER FAST IT WAS EXACTLY AS DESCRIBED AS IN CONTENT AND CONDITION. SECOND, THIS BOOK HAS HELPED ME TO UNDERSTAND THE MUSCLES ASSOCIATED WITH THE RELATED EXERCISE. NO ONE EXPLAINED THAT BEFORE. I AM GOING TO THEIR WEBSITE AND VIEW OTHERS BOOKS I MAY NEED. THANK YOU GOOD WILL

The first half of this book goes on about MS, its symptoms & treatments but I bought it for the exercises. The exercises are generic and can be performed by people with fully functioning bodies. Half of them also require gym equipment. This book is no help for patients that have progressed with disabilities. There are no stretching exercises for warm-ups, nothing to helping with spasticity, or flexibility.

This is a good book and I've incorporated the suggestions and exercises into my own regimen. The nerve damage I have is primarily between my left hip down to my left knee. I've spent four years trying to slowly work my way through severe muscle pain, and one thing I've learned is to take your time, gauge your fatigue so you don't over stretch weak muscles and be patient.

Managing fatigue, balance, spasticity and other symptoms make exercising a true challenge for those of us with MS. The descriptions and the pictures ensure that you're doing the exercises correctly. Most can be done at home and/or at the gym. In Part 111, there is a discussion on the benefits of working out and pacing yourself on "bad days" that I found very useful. Definitely worth it.