The lived experience of impaired sensation in the feet related to multiple sclerosis: a descriptive phenomenological study

It is estimated two and a half million people in the world have Multiple Sclerosis. A topical issue, in recently published research in the UK, is impaired sensation in the feet which is a common symptom reported by people living with the condition. To date, there is no available published research exploring the symptom qualitatively, and this study therefore aimed to explore the lived experiences in this group of people. Five English speaking adults (18+) with Multiple Sclerosis who reported impairments in the sensation of their feet (for example; numbness, pins and needles or burning), volunteered to take part in the study and were interviewed in their home environment. The interviews were transcribed and analysed using a descriptive phenomenological approach proposed by Giorgi (2009). The study aims to produce phenomenological descriptive knowledge about the unifying structure of the phenomenon of interest, based on the qualitative interview data. The findings of the study may have significant implications for the enhancement of meaningful practice; such as increasing the awareness of the phenomenon amongst therapists, potentially improving therapeutic care and clinical interventions. It may also help to formulate ideas for future research.