2023 Volume 40 Issue 1 Pages 54-58
Positioning amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients is difficult because patients would like specific positions but have difficulty expressing themselves. However, because certain positions were commonly seen in clinical practice, research was conducted to identify common positions and their rationales, hoping to achieve comfortable positioning and patient comfort. The subjects were 29 ALS patients requiring fully assisted positioning, and their preferences and rationales for angles of head elevation and lateral position, upper and lower limb support methods, and the use of pillows and blankets were investigated. The results showed that 72% of subjects preferred head elevation, 64% upper limb elevation, 88% lower limb elevation, and 62% a low lateral position angle of ≤20 degrees. There were also commonalities in choices of pillows and blankets among patients. The common positioning conditions served as measures to alleviate pain, since maintenance of sensory function is a characteristic of ALS. We believe that comfortable positioning is possible by applying the identified position preferences. In addition, the results suggest that achieving a comfortable position is possible even at the stage where communication becomes difficult.
