Kent MS Therapy Centre

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Click and Connect project is a live online and interactive exercise course for people with MS.

MS is a progressive neurological condition for which there is no cure. MS can affect a persons’ mobility and physical functions. Regular exercise has been proven to help with symptoms such as chronic fatigue, muscle spasticity, pain, poor balance and other symptoms.

The Tackling Inequalities funding supported the delivery of our online MS Click and Connect Programme which enabled the centre to deliver high quality yoga and Pilates sessions to MS members via Zoom. The funding was used to support freelance yoga instructors fees and neuro physiotherapists who deliver Pilates sessions.

The Impact

• Participants stated how the online programme has made them feel cared for and allowed them to feel that they were still connected to others during the Lockdown period.
• The Funding enabled the MS Therapy Centre to think creatively about alternative ways of support people living with MS.
• During Lockdown the project gave the professional physiotherapist an opportunity to keep an eye on individuals and look out for potential problems with mobility.

Having visual queues and being able to see how a person’s motor functions are responding to particular movements/exercises is extremely important as some people are not always aware that their physical condition may be declining so may not report it to their physiotherapist.

Challenges

• Introducing participants to online technology
• Having some participants joining mid way through. Meant we had to run a beginners and Intermediate class.