Treatments for balance problems

Some of these you can do on your own. For others, you'll need support from a professional such as an MS nurse, physiotherapist or occupational therapist. Sometimes treating a specific symptom like 'foot drop' can help with balance and mobility. 

Exercises for balance and walking

We worked with physiotherapist Ruth to create some simple exercises to help you manage you balance and walking. You can do the exercises at home without any special clothes or equipment.

Watch the film to see Tracey give the exercises a go, and try them for yourself too. There is an audio described verison of this video.

Physiotherapy

A well-designed physiotherapy programme can help improve balance. There are different types of exercise that may be useful, including exercises specifically designed to improve balance.

The programme could also include exercises that focus on posture, and the strength and suppleness of your muscles, which could in turn benefit your balance.

There's evidence to suggest that a range of exercise therapies, including yoga, Pilates, T'ai Chi, the Feldenkrais Method and the Alexander Technique, along wtih aerobics and outdoor walking, can also help.

Find out more about physiotherapy

Read about Rachel's experience with drop foot in our community blog

Aids, equipment and adaptations

Getting out and about

There are things you can do if balance issues have affected your ability to get out and about safely.

You may find you need to pay more attention than usual to balancing when you walk and move around. You may find it easier if you focus on walking, without doing anything else at the same time (such as talking).

Using a stick or other walking aid at times can also help. Some people find it particularly helpful in open spaces, or in unfamiliar places. Your occupational therapist and the Disabled Living Foundation can give you further details about equipment available.

Adaptations

At home - simple adjustments, or perhaps some adaptations, may help if you find it difficult to move around your house safely.  An occupational therapist can also help you find suitable adjustments or adaptations.

At work - There may also be useful changes that can be made in your workplace. Employers have a legal duty to make reasonable adjustments to help you do your job.

Treating and managing foot drop 

Foot drop, or dropped foot, is quite a common MS symptom and can make it hard to keep your balance. Foot drop is when you find it hard to lift the front of your foot properly as you walk. Treatments for foot drop include physiotherapy, ankle supports (orthotics) or FES (functional electrical stimulation).

Read more about treatments for foot drop

Fampridine (Fampyra) for MS

Fampridine, also known as Fampyra (and in America as Ampyra), is a drug that can help with walking. It helps about one in three people who take it. If this drug works for you it can speed up your walking by about 25%. This improvement can get less the longer you take the drug but walking is still better than if you'd never taken it. You take this drug as a tablet twice a day.

Where is fampridine (Fampyra) available for MS?

Fampridine has been available in Europe since 2011, but since July 2026 it’s been approved in all UK nations.

• In England, it was approved for NHS use in July 2026.
• In Wales in 2019, the All Wales Medicines Strategy Group recommended fampridine for use on the NHS.
• In Scotland in 2020, the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) approved it for use on the NHS.
• In Northern Ireland fampridine was approved for use on the NHS in 2023.

Who qualifies for fampridine (Fampyra)?

Adults with MS qualify to try fampridine if they have difficulty walking and score between 4 and 7 on the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS).

We’re working to make sure this drug is available on the NHS to all people who could benefit from it - no matter where in the UK they live.

The drug is available privately for people who can afford to pay for it (from £2,500 a year, at least).

Find out about your rights to treatment