Telehealth-based exercise in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Veterans Health Administration (VHA) leads in telerehabilitation to serve diverse populations.
• Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) disproportionately affects Veterans, causing disability and limiting access to specialized care.
• Exercise interventions show promise for maintaining function in ALS, with many adaptable to remote delivery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review evidence for exercise interventions in ALS.
• To examine the efficacy of telehealth for neuromuscular disorder exercise.
• To propose a framework for telehealth-delivered ALS rehabilitation within the VHA.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of exercise interventions in ALS.
• Review of telehealth-based exercise studies in neuromuscular disorders.
• Development of a proposed telehealth framework for ALS rehabilitation.

Main Results:

• Evidence supports exercise as a key component in ALS management.
• Telehealth modalities are effective for delivering exercise interventions in neuromuscular conditions.
• A framework for remote ALS exercise delivery, including outcome measures and devices, is proposed.

Conclusions:

• Telehealth presents a viable strategy to enhance rehabilitation access and outcomes for Veterans with ALS.
• The proposed framework can guide VHA in expanding remote exercise programs for this population.
• Integrating telehealth is crucial for maximizing functional gains alongside new ALS therapies.