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Tongue-strengthening Exercises in People With ALS.
The Impact of Dysphagia Exercise on Oropharyngeal Swallowing Function in Patients With ALS
Who can join
Ages 18 to 99 · All sexes
Full eligibility criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Diagnosis of possible, probable, or definite ALS (El-Escorial Revisited) * Lingual exercises naïve * Impaired lingual strength generation compared to normative data * EAT-10 score \<3 Exclusion Criteria: * Stroke * Head injury * Head and neck cancer * Tracheostomy * Other concomitant neurogenic disorder * Recent oral surgery other than routine dental surgery * Unable to generate isometric lingual pressure on lingual manometer * Participation in another clinical trial intervention that may confound results * NPO (nothing by mouth) * Anarthric
About the study
This study is testing a tongue exercise program for people living with ALS to see if it can help support speech and swallowing. All participants will receive the treatment, and researchers will measure changes over time by comparing each person's results to their own earlier results.
People who join the study will have two in-person visits and four weekly telehealth sessions with a speech-language pathologist. During these sessions, participants will practice tongue resistance exercises, complete speech and swallowing tasks, and answer surveys about their experience. They will also use a small device at home to measure tongue strength and swallowing.
The exercise program involves pressing the tongue against a device several times a day, five days per week, for five weeks. Researchers want to learn if this program is safe, practical, and helpful for people with ALS.
What is being tested
- Isometric Lingual Strength Exercises (procedure)
Sponsor: Nova Southeastern University · Participants: 20 · Started: May 1, 2026
Contact the study team
- Raquel Garcia, SLP.D. · Phone: 17863994053
- Lauren Tabor Gray, Ph.D. · Phone: 9549145447
Official record on ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT07295990
Locations in the U.S.
| Florida | Nova Southeastern University, Davie |
Conditions
From ClinicalTrials.gov, data retrieved Sep 30, 2026. Each study sets its own eligibility; the study team decides who can join.