Physical activity and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: A European population‐based case–control study

The rates of physically active patients (95%) and vigorous physical activities (51%) in the ALS cohort were larger than in the literature.

“Overall, both rates of patients that considered themselves physically active (95%) and reported vigorous physical activities during their presymptomatic stage (51%) were larger than in the literature: previously, the rate of physically active people was reportedly lower in ALS patients (in the presymptomatic stage) than in the controls (67% vs. 74%, adjusted OR = 0.65, 95%‐CI = 0.48–0.89) in one”

Physical activity may be protective against motor neuron disease.

“The positive correlation between total MET values and age at symptom onset is in line with recent work, suggesting that physical activity may eventually be even protective against motor neuron disease (Pupillo et al., 2014).”

No link between physical activity and ALS has been found in population-based case-control studies in Europe and the US.

“While an increased risk has been reported in Italian football players (Belli & Vanacore, 2005; Chio et al., 2005), American football players (Lehman et al., 2012), and sport‐related physical exercise in general (Beghi et al., 2010), no such link has been found in population‐based case–control studies in Europe (Pupillo et al., 2014) and the US (Longstreth et al., 1998).”

In one study, the rate of physically active people was lower in ALS patients (in the presymptomatic stage) than in controls (67% vs 74%, adjusted OR=0.65, 95% CI=0.48-0.89).

“previously, the rate of physically active people was reportedly lower in ALS patients (in the presymptomatic stage) than in the controls (67% vs. 74%, adjusted OR = 0.65, 95%‐CI = 0.48–0.89) in one study (Pupillo et al., 2014).”