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Effects of a 12-wk resistance exercise program on skeletal muscle strength in children with burn injuries
O E Suman1, R J Spies, M M Celis
1Medical Staff Administration, Shriners Hospitals for Children, Galveston, Texas 77550, USA. oesuman@utmb.edu
Insights
A resistance exercise program significantly improved muscle strength, power, and lean body mass in severely burned children. This intervention offers a promising approach to combat muscle loss and weakness following thermal injury.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric rehabilitation
- Burn injury recovery
- Skeletal muscle physiology
Background:
- Burn injuries cause significant muscle catabolism and weakness.
- Standard rehabilitation often fails to fully restore muscle function.
- Children with severe burns (>40% total body surface area) experience prolonged muscle deficits.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if a resistance exercise program can reduce muscle loss and weakness in children with severe thermal injuries.
- To compare the effects of a resistance exercise program versus standard rehabilitation on muscle strength and lean body mass.
Main Methods:
- Randomized controlled trial comparing a 12-week resistance exercise program plus standard rehabilitation against standard rehabilitation alone.
- Assessment of leg muscle strength at an isokinetic speed of 150 degrees/s before and after the intervention.
- Measurement of lean body mass using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry.
Main Results:
- The resistance exercise group showed significant improvements in muscle strength and power.
- Lean body mass increased significantly in the group participating in the resistance exercise program.
- Resistance exercise demonstrated superior outcomes compared to standard rehabilitation alone.
Conclusions:
- A resistance exercise program is effective in attenuating muscle loss and weakness in severely burned children.
- This exercise intervention can enhance recovery of muscle strength, power, and lean body mass post-burn.
- Resistance training should be considered as an adjunct to standard rehabilitation for pediatric burn survivors.
Abstract:
The posttraumatic response to burn injury leads to marked and prolonged skeletal muscle catabolism and weakness, which persist despite standard rehabilitation programs of occupational and physical therapy. We investigated whether a resistance exercise program would attenuate muscle loss and weakness that is typically found in children with thermal injury. We assessed the changes in leg muscle strength and lean body mass in severely burned children with >40% total body surface area burned. Patients were randomized to a 12-wk standard hospital rehabilitation program supplemented with an exercise training program (n = 19) or to a home-based rehabilitation program without exercise (n = 16). Leg muscle strength was assessed before and after the 12-wk rehabilitation or training program at an isokinetic speed of 150 degrees /s. Lean body mass was assessed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. We found that the participation in a resistance exercise program results in a significant improvement in muscle strength, power, and lean body mass relative to a standard rehabilitation program without exercise.
