Effect of exercise therapy on pain complaints in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Pain and management methods in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are poorly investigated in the literature. The aim of this research is to study the effects of supervised and home exercise programs on musculoskeletal pain in ALS patients, in a retrospective design. Investigated parameters were pain intensity, muscle stiffness, strength and shortening. 26 ambulatory ALS patients were included in the supervised (n=13) and home exercise (n=13) programs. Evaluations were performed at the baseline, at the eighth and sixteenth weeks. Results indicate that supervised exercise program, which included strengthening, stretching and functional mobility training had positive effects on pain, and on muscle stiffness, strength and shortening.