Online physiotherapy for multiple sclerosis
If you are medically stable, a video session lets your physiotherapist watch how you move and set up exercises for movement problems and muscle pain, with a carer welcome to join. Before you start, your GP or specialist team must confirm it is safe for you to begin physiotherapy. We do not manage relapses. Sudden arm weakness or vision loss means 999.
How online physiotherapy works for MS
The NHS lists physiotherapy and exercises to help with movement problems and muscle pain among the support for MS symptoms. It says the team around you may include an MS nurse, a neurologist, a physiotherapist and an occupational therapist. We are a separate private service, not part of that team, and we do not replace it. NICE guidance on MS recommends encouraging people with MS to exercise, and says regular exercise may help and will not make MS worse.
We make no claim that physiotherapy changes the course of MS. Our focus is on how you move and what you want to keep doing: walking, balance, stiffness and everyday tasks. Medicines, relapse care and decisions about your condition stay with your MS team.
Our neurological rehabilitation service is for people who are medically stable. Before you start, your GP or specialist team must confirm it is safe for you to begin physiotherapy. Our service guidance says a family member or carer can join the session and help get the room ready, and that early movement checks are done seated or with support.
The NHS describes relapsing remitting MS as having flare-ups of symptoms, called relapses, that then go away or improve. We cannot judge a relapse over video. If none of the 999 signs on this page apply and you think you are having a relapse, our approach is to ask you to contact your MS team or GP. We pause your sessions until your GP or MS team has cleared you to restart.
Video has limits. We cannot catch you if you lose your balance, so we plan movements that can be done safely at home with something solid nearby and, if needed, another person with you. If a movement does not look safe on camera, we will say so and suggest in-person therapy through your NHS team.
What the video assessment checks
- What you want to be able to do, in your own words, and what has become harder recently.
- Where you feel stiffness, muscle pain or weakness, and how it affects walking, standing and everyday tasks.
- How you walk, turn and get out of a chair, and what you use for support.
- Whether your symptoms have changed suddenly, which we will route to your MS team or the urgent options below instead of continuing.
- Confirmation that your GP or specialist team has said it is safe for you to begin physiotherapy, and what advice they have given about exercise.
- Whether your room and set-up at home are safe for the movements we plan, and who can be with you.
What treatment usually involves
Your plan starts from your goals and a few simple movement checks over video. We build a short routine for movement and muscle pain that you can repeat at home, and we adjust it as your needs change.
The first session is a 60-minute video assessment at £40, and follow-ups are 30 minutes at £30. Triage at booking confirms whether video suits you, and we will say so plainly before you pay if it does not.
MS varies from person to person and over time, so we review your plan with you at each follow-up rather than following a fixed timeline. Keep your GP or specialist team informed about your treatment.
Our service guidance says reviews look at everyday change that you notice for yourself. We use the same approach for MS and keep exercise decisions in line with advice from your MS team.
How long recovery usually takes
We do not promise a timeline or a result, because MS differs between people and can change over time. We review your movement and daily tasks with you at each session, and we suggest you speak to your MS team if your symptoms change.
When you need to be seen in person instead
A video appointment is not the right route for the situations below, and a home visit is not a substitute for urgent care.
- Call 999 now if you think you or someone with you is having a stroke. Use FAST: Face drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty, and Time to call 999. Other signs include weakness or numbness down one side, blurred vision or loss of sight, and dizziness. Do not drive yourself to A&E.
- The NHS MS page says to call 999 or go to A&E if you have sudden weakness or numbness in one arm, loss or blurring of vision, or problems with balance and co-ordination, because these could be signs of a stroke. Do not drive to A&E.
- If you have severe hip pain after a fall or injury, cannot walk or put weight on the leg, or have tingling or loss of feeling in the hip or leg after a fall or injury, the NHS says to call 999 or go to A&E. Do not drive yourself.
- After a head injury, such as in a fall, the NHS says to call 999 if, for example, the person has been knocked out and has not woken up, cannot stay awake, has a seizure, has fallen from a height of more than 1 metre or 5 stairs, has problems with their vision or hearing, has clear fluid coming from their ears or nose, has new numbness or weakness, has problems with walking, balance, understanding, speaking or writing, or their behaviour has changed. This is not the full list, so see the NHS head injury page listed in the sources. If you take blood thinners, are being sick or feel dizzy after a head injury, contact NHS 111. Do not drive yourself to A&E.
- If none of the 999 signs above apply and you think you are having a relapse, our approach is to ask you to contact your MS team or GP. We cannot assess a relapse over video, and we pause your sessions with us until your GP or MS team has cleared you to restart.
- If you have symptoms you think could be MS but have no diagnosis, the NHS says to see a GP. Online sessions with us do not replace a diagnosis.
- If you need hands-on therapy or equipment set up in person, we cannot provide it by video. Triage at booking tells you honestly if video does not suit you.
Common questions
Can physiotherapy help with MS?
The NHS lists physiotherapy and exercises to help with movement problems and muscle pain among the support for MS symptoms. We make no claim that it changes the course of the condition.
Do you manage MS relapses?
No. If you have sudden weakness or numbness in one arm, loss or blurring of vision, or problems with balance and co-ordination, call 999 or go to A&E and do not drive yourself. If none of those apply and you think you are having a relapse, contact your MS team or GP. We pause your sessions until your GP or MS team clears you to restart.
Do you work with my MS nurse or neurologist?
No. We are a separate private service and we do not replace your MS team. Keep your GP or specialist team informed about your treatment.
Do I need anyone's go-ahead before I start?
Yes. Before you start, your GP or specialist team must confirm it is safe for you to begin physiotherapy. We ask about this at booking, and triage confirms whether video suits you.
Can my carer join the session?
Yes. Our service guidance says a family member or carer can join and help get the room ready.
Further reading
This information is general and not a substitute for an assessment. Don't start a new exercise programme without advice from a physiotherapist or doctor who knows your condition. If an exercise causes pain that doesn't settle, stop and seek advice.
Sources
Book an online assessment
A 60-minute video assessment with an HCPC-registered physiotherapist is £40.
Book my assessment