If you have MS, the beach can be a scary place. You might have difficulty walking or balancing in the sand. This makes a lot of us avoid the beach. It doesn’t have to be a place you avoid. Here are some tips for exploring the beach again:

If you can walk but have trouble balancing on the sand, try using a cane or walking stick to get to your desired place. The beach is no place to leave a walking stick or cane behind.

Know your limits. Heat sensitivity can ruin the best vacation. Don’t visit the beach at peak hours between 12 PM and 3 PM. Instead choose to visit the beach during early morning hours or even the evening around dinner time. The plus with this strategy is that you actually end up missing the dinner crowd in a resort town. If you need to, bring a cooling vest or lots of ice in the cooler to lower your body temperature.

If you have trouble accessing the beach because you use a wheelchair, rent a specialized beach wheelchair. They are usually available by resort rental services that will typically rent towels and sheets. A simple Google search for the town you’re visiting plus beach wheelchair will return many results. You might be surprised.