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Updated: Jan 25, 2026
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Eye-Tracking Control to Assess Cognitive Functions in Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Published on: October 13, 2016
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Pain and fatigue in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a multiple methods study.
Stephano Tomaz Silva1, Letícia Maria de Queiroz Aquino1, Diogo Neres Aires1
1Department of Physiotherapy and Laboratory for Technological Innovation in Health, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil.
Neurodegenerative Disease Management
|January 24, 2026
Summary
Individuals with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) in Brazil experience moderate pain and fatigue. Current evidence on physiotherapy effectiveness for managing these ALS symptoms remains uncertain.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Physical Therapy
- Rehabilitation Medicine
Background:
- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) frequently presents with debilitating pain and fatigue.
- Existing literature offers conflicting evidence on the efficacy of physiotherapy interventions for these common ALS symptoms.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize the pain and fatigue symptom profile in a Brazilian cohort of individuals with ALS.
- To systematically review and identify physiotherapy practices utilized for managing pain and fatigue in ALS patients.
Main Methods:
- A multimethods approach combining prospective cross-sectional and systematic retrospective designs.
- Data collection included pain and fatigue assessments in a Brazilian ALS sample (n=72).
- Systematic literature review with risk of bias (PEDro scale) and evidence quality (SIGN system) evaluations.
Main Results:
- The Brazilian ALS sample reported moderate levels of pain (mean score 4.31) and fatigue (mean score 37.2).
- The systematic review identified a range of physiotherapy practices aimed at alleviating pain and fatigue in ALS.
Conclusions:
- Pain and fatigue are prevalent, moderate-level symptoms in the studied Brazilian ALS population.
- The current body of evidence suggests uncertainty regarding the definitive effectiveness of physiotherapy for managing pain and fatigue in ALS.
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