People with multiple sclerosis often experience altered sensation in their feet - a symptom that is rarely treated, yet one that can significantly affect balance, mobility, and increase the risk of falls. In earlier work, we partnered with people with multiple sclerosis in the UK and Australia to understand their mobility challenges and co-design sensory shoe insoles that stimulate foot skin receptors to enhance balance, in a practical and comfortable way.

Our current project is testing whether these insoles can improve balance and mobility. Participants wear the insoles for four weeks, during which we assess their performance in balance tasks that mimic real-world situations where falls are likely, and record how their leg muscles and nerves respond. We also interview participants to learn from their experiences using the insoles. The goal is to determine whether sensory insole technology can meaningfully improve balance and guide a future trial aimed at reducing falls.

Many people with multiple sclerosis – about three in four – lose some feeling in their feet. This sensory loss is a major cause of poor balance and falls. Most treatments for balance problems, such as exercise programs, have limited effect because they do not target this underlying sensory loss.

Our research is testing innovative ‘Vibrotexture’ shoe insoles that boost the signals the feet send to the brain, helping the body react faster and stay steady. Using advanced balance tests - including simulated slips and detailed nerve and muscle measurements - we can see exactly how the insoles affect movement. The goal is to develop a clinically ready insole that can be used worldwide, making everyday life safer for people with multiple sclerosis and shaping future treatments that focus on foot sensation.

I have been involved in multiple sclerosis research for nearly two decades, focusing on innovative ways to improve balance, mobility, and physical activity so that people with multiple sclerosis can live safe and independent lives.

I am constantly inspired by the proactive approach of people with multiple sclerosis. Their active involvement in managing their condition and enthusiasm for new strategies motivates me even more to develop effective treatments and solutions that help them perform better every day. I also have personal connections to people with multiple sclerosis, so I have seen firsthand how challenging and debilitating the symptoms can be. This drives me to use my academic and scientific expertise to develop rehabilitation techniques that truly make a difference in people’s daily lives.

Within my field, one of the most exciting developments in multiple sclerosis research has been the growing focus on symptoms that have traditionally been overlooked – particularly altered foot sensation. Over the past decade, research teams around the world, including our own, have been pioneering and testing new medical technologies that target foot sensation, and this area is gaining increasing attention.

Equally exciting is the active involvement of people with multiple sclerosis in co-designing these treatments as part of our research teams. Their perspectives are essential to ensure that new technologies address real needs and deliver outcomes that meaningfully improve everyday life. Seeing research shaped so directly by the people it is intended to help has been incredibly inspiring.

What I enjoy most about my research is hearing the life stories of people with multiple sclerosis and using their experiences to guide our work in ways that can genuinely improve their lives. It is a real privilege to involve people with Multiple Sclerosis as partners in our research, co-designing new technologies and sharing insights from their lived experience. One of the main challenges is that, as researchers, we sometimes develop ambitious ideas – whether for testing procedures or new technologies – that may not align with the priorities of people with Multiple Sclerosis. This requires us to step back, reevaluate, and ensure our work is focused on meeting their real needs and delivering practical, meaningful outcomes.

I come from Stockton-on-Tees, a market town in the Northeast of England, which is also famous as the birthplace of John Walker, the inventor of the friction match in 1826.