Falls were common among ambulatory people with ALS in a six-month study
Original source
Falls in people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: A prospective study. (opens in a new tab)Compass summarised this from the study's abstract.
Study details
- Studied in
- Human
Population inferred from the title and abstract by Compass.
In a prospective study of 66 people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), falls were more frequent among those who could walk than among wheelchair users. Among ambulatory participants, 47% had fallen by three months and 59% by six months. Lower-leg strength and fatigue were associated with falls at different follow-ups.
Why this matters
Fall-risk assessment may be important across different levels of mobility in ALS, particularly for people who remain ambulatory. The findings point to lower-limb strength and fatigue as factors clinicians may need to consider when planning fall-prevention strategies, but the study did not test whether those strategies prevent falls.
Limitations and context
This was a small, longitudinal observational study, and participants were assessed by interview. Some participants were lost to follow-up because they died, and the results show associations rather than proving that changing strength or fatigue would prevent falls. The findings may not apply to all people with ALS.