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CMSC 2026

International Symposium on Gait & Balance in MS: Strength in Motion: Exercise and Safety for Wheelchair Users with MS

Moderator/Chair: Nora Fritz , PhD DPT NCS
This intermediate session addresses a critical and underrepresented area in multiple sclerosis (MS) research and care: fall risk, prevention, and health promotion among individuals who are non-ambulatory or rely on wheeled mobility. Despite growing recognition of fall-related morbidity in MS, existing prevention guidelines remain largely focused on ambulatory populations, leaving a substantial gap in evidence and clinical guidance for those who use wheelchairs or scooters. The first presentation will highlight the limitations of current fall prevention guidelines for non-ambulatory individuals with MS, summarizing emerging data on the prevalence, incidence, and consequences of falls in this population. The second presentation will expand this perspective by examining the frequency, circumstances, and outcomes of falls among wheelchair and scooter users with MS, alongside a critical appraisal of existing prevention and management strategies. Emphasis will be placed on a continuum of resources aimed at reducing fall risk while promoting valued participation and meaningful activity. The final presentation will shift toward solutions, describing a community-engaged approach to developing a home-based exercise program specifically for wheelchair users with MS. This talk will illustrate how stakeholder input, combined with current evidence-based exercise guidelines, informed program design, safety considerations, and outcome selection. Particular attention will be given to identifying feasible, relevant, and disability-appropriate measures of success. Together, these presentations offer a comprehensive and patient-centered framework for understanding and addressing falls in non-ambulatory individuals with MS, with implications for research, clinical practice, and community-based programming. Level of Information: IntermediateThis intermediate session addresses a critical and underrepresented area in multiple sclerosis (MS) research and care: fall risk, prevention, and health promotion among individuals who are non-ambulatory or rely on wheeled mobility. Despite growing recognition of fall-related morbidity in MS, existing prevention guidelines remain largely focused on ambulatory populations, leaving a substantial gap in evidence and clinical guidance for those who use wheelchairs or scooters. The first presentation will highlight the limitations of current fall prevention guidelines for non-ambulatory individuals with MS, summarizing emerging data on the prevalence, incidence, and consequences of falls in this population. The second presentation will expand this perspective by examining the frequency, circumstances, and outcomes of falls among wheelchair and scooter users with MS, alongside a critical appraisal of existing prevention and management strategies. Emphasis will be placed on a continuum of resources aimed at reducing fall risk while promoting valued participation and meaningful activity. The final presentation will shift toward solutions, describing a community-engaged approach to developing a home-based exercise program specifically for wheelchair users with MS. This talk will illustrate how stakeholder input, combined with current evidence-based exercise guidelines, informed program design, safety considerations, and outcome selection. Particular attention will be given to identifying feasible, relevant, and disability-appropriate measures of success. Together, these presentations offer a comprehensive and patient-centered framework for understanding and addressing falls in non-ambulatory individuals with MS, with implications for research, clinical practice, and community-based programming. Level of Information: Intermediate

Presentations in This Session

Falls in Non-ambulatory Individuals with Multiple Sclerosis

Speaker/s: Jacob (Jake) Sosnoff, PhD

Promoting Valued Participation and Activity through Fall Prevention and Management Among People Living with MS who use Wheelchairs and Scooters

Speaker/s: Laura Rice, PhD, MPT, ATP

Building Exercise Solutions With, Not For, Wheelchair Users With MS: A Community-Engaged Journey to Program Development and Outcome Selection

Speaker/s: Stephanie Silveira, PhD

Conclusion

Speaker/s: Nora Fritz, PhD, DPT, NCS