Christina Applegate’s Heartbreaking MS Update: "My Legs are Busted"

Christina Applegate shares a raw health update on her MS battle, revealing recent falls and the emotional toll on her family. Get the latest news and wellness tips.

In the world of Hollywood, few stars have been as unflinchingly honest about their health struggles as Christina Applegate. For decades, she has been a fixture on our screens, but today her most important role is that of a vocal advocate for the chronic illness community.

Christina Applegate recently provided a heart-wrenching update regarding her ongoing battle with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). In a late 2025 social media post, the actress revealed that a particularly stressful week triggered a severe flare-up, leading her to fall five times in just a few days.

She candidly told her followers that her "legs are busted," a stark reminder of how MS affects the body’s central nervous system and can turn a routine day into a physical crisis without warning.

Christina hasn’t held back on her podcast, MeSsy, which she co-hosts with fellow MS warrior Jamie-Lynn Sigler. "When we get stressed or upset our symptoms get worse," she explained to her audience, adding that during her most difficult moments, she can "barely get to the bathroom."

This level of transparency is a departure from her past; she recently admitted she felt she had to "lie her ass off" about her well-being during previous health battles to keep up appearances, but she is now committed to the raw, unvarnished truth.

This isn't Christina’s first time facing a life-altering diagnosis. In 2008, at just 36 years old, she was diagnosed with breast cancer after discovering she carried the BRCA1 gene mutation. She made the brave decision to undergo a double mastectomy and later had her ovaries and fallopian tubes removed to prevent further risk.

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Her medical history is a testament to her proactive approach to wellness, even as MS has presented a different, more progressive type of challenge since her 2021 diagnosis.

Managing MS typically involves a combination of Disease-Modifying Therapies (DMTs), which are designed to slow the progression of the disease and reduce the frequency of relapses. Scientifically, the prognosis for MS has improved significantly with modern medicine, but the daily reality remains a struggle with side effects like:

Extreme Fatigue: Often described as a "total body heaviness."
Neuropathy: Intense numbness or "stabbing" pain in the limbs.
Cognitive Fog: Difficulty with memory or focus, often called "brain fog." While standard treatments focus on the immune system, many patients also use "cooling therapy" (like cooling vests) to manage heat sensitivity, which can worsen symptoms instantly.

The toll of a chronic illness extends far beyond the patient. Christina has spoken movingly about her 14-year-old daughter, Sadie, noting that it "rips her soul apart" to tell her child she can't participate in activities.

On the career front, the filming of her hit series Dead to Me was a monumental effort; she required a wheelchair to get to the set and credits the support of the cast and crew for helping her finish her final on-camera performance before shifting her focus to voice-over work and production.

While Christina has access to top-tier medical teams, many of the strategies she uses can be adapted by anyone managing autoimmune or inflammatory conditions at home.

Anti-Inflammatory Diet: Focusing on Omega-3 rich foods (like salmon and walnuts) and leafy greens can help reduce internal swelling.
Stress Management: Since stress is a major trigger for flare-ups, practicing mindfulness or gentle breathing exercises is a medical necessity, not just a luxury.
Low-Impact Movement: Activities like Yoga, Tai Chi, or swimming help maintain muscle strength and balance without overtaxing the nervous system.
Home Safety: Reducing clutter and installing simple safety features like grab bars can prevent the dangerous falls that Christina has so bravely shared.