Role of muscular exercise in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Abstract

The general, systemic, and specific neuromuscular adaptation to physical exercise and training in healthy individuals is reviewed with application to individuals with neuromuscular disease in general and ALS in particular. A pilot study utilizing patients with ALS suggests the cardiopulmonary response to acute exercise is similar to normal individuals. However, a case study of a training response suggests the success of neuromuscular adaptation will be dependent upon the degree of motor neuron involvement.