Change in exercise prescription for people with MS is overdue and Multiple Sclerosis NZ is proud to lead the way by endorsing the MS Get a Head Start (MS GHS) programmes.
Why This Matters
Research has made it clear: exercise isn’t just beneficial for people with multiple sclerosis (MS), it’s disease-modifying. Yet 80% of people with MS struggle to engage in regular exercise, putting them at greater risk for secondary health complications and faster progression of MS symptoms. This is where MS Get a Head Start steps in, offering a fresh, research-backed approach to exercise rehabilitation that’s proven in practice.
What Makes MS Get a Head Start Different?
MS Get a Head Start is more than just an exercise programme. It’s a comprehensive, platform that empowers both people living with MS to take control, stay active, and improve their quality of life and health professionals to deliver evidence-based rehabilitation to change lives of those living with MS. Central to Multiple Sclerosis NZs endorsement of the programme, is its grounding in the latest research and focus on delivering results that change lives.
Two Powerful Modes of Delivery
- Automated Online Programme for People with MS: A fully accessible, therapist-led 6-week exercise and education online course designed specifically for people with MS, regardless of location. This ensures everyone can access reliable information and expert guidance.
- Training for Health Professionals: Evidence-based courses equip health professionals with the knowledge and confidence to prescribe effective, individualised exercise and rehabilitation for people with MS.
Online Programme for People with MS
The 6-week programme includes two exercise videos and one educational video each week, as well as downloadable resources to help with goal setting and activity planning. Participants will have access to the programme for 12 months! And best of all, you do not require any equipment and can complete the recorded sessions at a time that suits.
Tackling the Real Challenges
MS GHS understands the unique barriers faced by people with MS – fatigue, heat sensitivity, and mobility issues can make exercise feel daunting. That’s why the programme includes:
- MS-specific exercise prescriptions
- Strategies to manage fatigue and heat sensitivity
- Tools for safe, effective exercise
With MS GHS, participants aren’t just exercising – they’re building resilience, independence, and a sense of control over their health.
Training for Health Professionals
There is currently no postgraduate training and very limited undergraduate training for health professionals specifically on how to help people with MS exercise and MS specific rehabilitation. Also a majority of health professionals are not aware of the disease modifying impacts of exercise on MS. Hence why MS Get a Head Start felt it was so important to be able to provide professional development training for any health professional working with people with MS around exercise or physical activity. MS GHS provides a foundational self-directed online education programme for health professionals as well as an additional in person course on gait rehabilitation specifically for those living with MS.
The Power of Endorsement
Multiple Sclerosis NZ’s endorsement of MS Get a Head Start is a powerful vote of confidence. Through our network of MS organisations we can ensure the programmes message and resources will reach every corner of New Zealand, improving health education and knowledge of life-enhancing rehabilitation.
Committed to sharing knowledge
Gilly Davy, Founder of MS Get a Head Start is ‘doing the mahi’, carrying out extensive research on exercise for people with MS. She was privileged to receive a grant from the NZ MS Research Trust to complete her Master’s research study on the 6-week MS Get a Head Start programme being provided fully online. The results from this study aim to be published early next year. There is a range of resources available on the MS GHS website including a recent update on the latest evidence around exercise and MS here.
In Summary
Multiple Sclerosis NZ’s endorsement of MS Get a Head Start signals a new era in MS care, one where exercise is recognised as a powerful tool for modifying the course of the disease. With innovative, accessible programmes for both health professionals and people with MS, MS GHS is set to transform outcomes and improve quality of life for thousands. By combining expert-led education with personalised, neuroprotective exercise, the programme helps slow the progression of MS and puts people back in control of their lives.
Want to join the course, or know a physiotherapist who’d benefit? Share the resources below and help spread the word.
