[Rehabilitation in multiple sclerosis]

Rehabilitation is the only effective treatment in multiple sclerosis (MS), as long as the cause of this commonest neurological disease of younger adults is not known. No medical treatment constantly influences the course of the disease. Methods for restitution of functional impairments, for improvement of abilities and for adaptation of daily life according to constraints caused by disability and handicap are applied with the goal of enlarging personal free space. Inadequate prevention of complications is often the cause for apparent progressive deterioration of the disease. Efficient symptomatic therapies have helped to increase life expectancy and to improve quality of life of MS patients in recent years.