Activity & Pelvic Health

Some people with MS can have difficulties controlling their bladder or bowel and experience issues such as ‘urgency’ – suddenly needing to go the toilet, without much warning.

Such challenges can make being active difficult and limit the type of physical activity people can do. 

Keeping physically active may help some people with bladder and bowel control. For example, one study found that people with MS had improvements in their bowel functions after following a 15-week course of yoga.

Listen to Kirstin talk about how doing specific exercises (pelvic floor exercises) has helped her

A continence advisor, MS nurse or physiotherapist can help you with pelvic floor exercises for bladder control – and we include some of these exercises in this resource (see the activities suite).

If you want to learn more about how MS can affect the bladder and bowel – and what health care professionals can offer with the management of these symptoms, you can watch a special series of ‘Question Time’ style films produced by the MS Trust.  Click on the links below to take you to each film.

1. MS Trust Continence Question Time: introducing the panel

2. MS Continence – explaining common terms

3. How does MS cause bowel and bladder problems?

4. How can I manage my bowel problems?

5. What can health care professionals do to help me manage my bladder and bowel problems?

6. Top tips for managing MS bladder and bowel problems