Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is often known by its initials, ALS. Considered a neurodegenerative process, it's also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, which attacks voluntary nerve cells and causes weakness and lack of voluntary motor movement and mobility, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Therapeutic exercises for ALS are designed to help maintain mobility, range of motion and control of muscle movement for as long as possible to enhance quality of life.
Low-Impact Exercise
The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke suggests low-impact exercise to help maintain strength and mobility. Such exercises may include riding a stationary bike, walking or swimming. Exercises such as these help promote heart health and maintain strength and stamina, as well as fight depression. Such exercise also helps promote endurance and stamina, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians.
Stretching Exercises
Stretching exercises may help maintain proper length of muscles between joints, and help prevent painful muscle spasms, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Passive range of motion exercise, meaning exercise performed on the patient by a health care provider, may be arranged with a physical therapist or performed by qualified home health care personnel.
Tongue Exercises
Individuals diagnosed with ALS often develop difficulty speaking and swallowing as loss of control of facial and throat muscles progresses. Speech therapists may devise specific swallowing or speech exercises to meet individual needs, often collaborating with nutritionists and family members. Such exercises may include tongue and jaw exercises. For example, stick out your tongue and hold it steady for about five seconds. Relax, then repeat.
You can combine this exercise with a different tongue exercise. Stick out the tongue and then pull the tongue back into the mouth, holding it against the roof of the mouth for about three seconds. Repeat the sequence several times.
Jaw Exercises
Loss of jaw mobility often is observed as ALS advances. Help maintain mobility and function of the jaw to facilitate speech and eating by performing jaw exercises to help enhance range of motion, according to the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Open your mouth as far as you can without pain to offer a good stretch and then relax. Repeat this exercise several times.
Next, move your jaw from side to side, slowly, but as far as you can without feeling any discomfort. Hold the jaw on each side for several seconds before moving the jaw to the other side. Repeat this sequence about five times several times a day.
