A woman with MS from Caithness said her life, symptoms and fitness has completely changed since attending a training programme.
Lillias Rapson has been experiencing MS symptoms since she was 13.
Diagnosed with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis 10 years ago, the 38-year-old suffers from a range of symptoms.
This long list includes mobility and balance issues, muscle spasms, depression, fatigue, speech and swallowing issues and tremors.
Hoping to improve her recovery from relapses and to try and drop some unhealthy habits, Ms Rapson signed up for a 12-week MS Warrior Training Programme which “changed her life” and also her dress size.
‘Totally and absolutely changed my life’
Entering the programme, Ms Rapson said: “My main goal was always to improve my chances of recovering from relapses.
“I wanted to improve my life, to drop all the bad habits like smoking, drinking and eating unhealthily, which I’d used to cope with different things, and to take my health into my own hands.
“And I want to have the muscle tone there to be able to support myself through relapses.
“Then my body has at least got the muscle there to use as energy until I’m able to get back on my feet and do some form of healthy living again and properly look after myself.”
Since taking part, the former IT worker has also dropped from a size 22 to 14.
Ms Rapson said it had completely changed her self confidence: “The programme has definitely changed the way I view myself. Now I’m able to see myself without wincing, whereas before I just couldn’t look.
“MS Warrior has totally and absolutely changed my life. I achieved stronger mobility and more confidence.
“Although I can’t run and I haven’t gained back any mobility, I feel more confident in myself. I can get up from the chair and walk across the room without my legs feeling weak or without feeling fatigued.
“Before it was quite normal to feel that way, just from walking that short distance. That’s amazing really, from spending years being fatigued and having weak and painful legs to not having that.”
Aim to provide specific programmes for individuals
Over 15,000 people in Scotland live with MS. It is a condition that damages nerves in the body and makes it harder to do everyday things such as speaking, walking, thinking and eating.
The MS Warrior Training Programme aims to increase fitness and strength and minimise the progression of the condition.
Dom Thorpe, who founded Disability Training in 2008, said: “No matter what your disability, there is always some form of exercise which can benefit you physically.
“When presented with the opportunity to train a disabled client I adopt the attitude of ‘What can you do?’ not ‘What can’t you do?’
“I use this positive attitude to combine my existing knowledge of fitness, my knowledge of the specific disability, and any exercise preferences the client may have, to provide an exercise regime that will suit them, whatever their needs.”
Those who take part receive healthy recipes, motivational daily emails, a 12-week weight training programme, nutrition plan and series of home exercise videos.
To find out more visit the website or to sign up to the launch event on Tuesday, August 2, click here.
Conversation