title: Physical therapy for a patient through six stages of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This case report describes the use of Sinaki and Mulder's approach to staging amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and functional outcome measures in designing a treatment program for a 59-year-old woman with ALS.
  
  
  METHODS
  As the patient progressed from stage I through stage VI, over 12 months, the physical therapy goals changed from optimizing remaining function, to maintaining functional mobility, and finally to maximizing quality of life.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Disease staging and the use of functional outcome measures provide a framework for physical therapy evaluation and treatment of patients with ALS throughout the disease process. Physical therapists can assist patients with ALS through the provision of education, psychological support, rehabilitation programs, and recommendations for appropriate equipment and community resources.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, Cleveland State University, OH 44115, USA. v.dalbello-haas@popmail.csuohio.edu
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Dal Bello-Haas
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Kloos
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mitsumoto
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000145:classification / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities / Q000379:methods*; D011379:Prognosis; D011788:Quality of Life; D012720:Severity of Illness Index