Efficacy of Inspiratory Muscle Training in Patients With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Clinical Trial
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) progressively damages the nerve cells responsible for voluntary muscle movement. Over time, this leads to weakness in different muscles such as those used for movement or breathing. Breathing problems are one of the main causes of complications and reduced survival in people with ALS. This happens because the inspiratory muscles-those that help draw air into the lungs-gradually lose strength. The study has the aim to explore the benefits of training inspiratory muscles in ALS patients in order to maintain the setrength of these muscles for as long as possible and look the impact on respiratory function.
• Patients diagnosed with spinal ALS
• men and women
• diagnosis date less than two years ago, according to the El Escorial criteria (Appendix 2)
• PIM above the lower limit of normal
• Preserved lung function (FVC ≥ 80%, FEV1 ≥ 80%, FEV1/FVC ≥ 80%) and normal values in supine position