Staying Mobile

From prehistoric animal skins to high-tech athletic shoes, footwear has evolved over thousands of years. For many people, style is the primary consideration. People with MS may have other concerns, such as how symptoms like spasticity, numbness, impaired balance and foot drop may affect walking. Finding the right shoes can make all the difference. 

When symptoms of MS such as fatigue, weakness, incoordination, sensory changes in feet or hands, vision problems, or cognitive changes interfere with driving safely, an occupational therapist or certified ADED driving specialist can assess your needs and recommend adaptations and tools (.pdf), and vehicle or van modifications to help keep you driving as long as possible. Your consultation will result in a prescription for the precise equipment you need, and may result in driving lessons with the new equipment.

While used wheelchair vans, SUVs, trucks and cars are ideal options for some, a custom-built mobility vehicle can offer more comprehensive or personalized conversion options. Consult with a mobility equipment dealer, such as the National Mobility Equipment Dealers Association (NMEDA), to determine which option is best for you.

Mobility aids can help you get where you want to go while conserving energy and preventing falls. Learn how to choose the aid that is right for you and meet the rehabilitation professionals who can assess your needs and recommend the most appropriate aid(s). Mobility aids can:

• Make shopping trips manageable and visits to a museum or zoo a pleasure
• Make a new sport possible or reopen the door to an old favorite. People who use scooters and wheelchairs bowl, fish, ski, and play golf, tennis or basketball.
• Enable you to go places without having to rely on others.
• Prevent falls and show others that the problem is medical—not substance abuse.

Service dogs can be trained to perform an impressive range of tasks, including:

• guiding
• alerting to sounds
• opening and closing doors
• retrieval
• pulling wheelchairs
• providing balance support
• turning lights on and off and more

Here are some things you should consider if you're thinking about getting a service dog:

• Do you have the funds, time, and support to meet your service dog’s needs?
• Are you able to exercise a dog and clean up after him or her? Do you have a reliable person willing to do this when you can’t—come rain, snow, sleet, hail, summer heat, or an MS flare?
• Do you have or can you raise funds to pay for regular veterinary care, as well as food, accessories, and training aids? If funds are tight, have you researched potential financial resources? (Help may be available.)
• Will you be consistent in working with your service dog and use the training techniques you will learn? Can you be patient if a training routine is not going well, and figure out ways to turn it around?
• Are you willing to make a ten-year, or more, commitment to a dog?

To help you think about whether a service dog may help you improve your mobility, contact  Assistance Dogs International, Paws with a Cause, Assistance Dog United Campaign, Canine Partners for Life, or Pet Partners.

• Taking the Next Step- Momentum article
• Staying Behind the Wheel- Momentum article
• Animal Attraction- Momentum article
• Association for Driver Rehabilitation Specialists (ADED)
  Provides an online search tool to locate rehabilitation specialists, certified driver rehabilitation specialists, and mobility equipment dealers that install equipment.
• Accessible Vans of America, LLC
  Offers nationwide rental of wheelchair and scooter accessible vans.
• Disabled Dealer
  Nationwide online marketplace for private parties to buy and sell accessible vehicles, medical equipment and adaptive accessories.
• National Mobility Equipment Dealers Association Nationwide network of accessible vehicle dealers.
• Vantage Mobility International
  Network of mobility dealers offering sales and service of new and used wheelchair vans.
• Wheelchair Getaways
  Nationwide rental of wheelchair and scooter accessible vans.