Physical exercise to promote regeneration after peripheral nerve injury in animal models: A systematic review

Peripheral nerve injuries are common injuries that often have a drastic effect on patient's activities of daily living and physical function. While techniques for the surgical repair of these injuries have improved over time, rehabilitation methods following these repairs have been non-standardized and under researched. Electronic searches were conducted in Ovid/Medline and SCOPUS to identify articles that discuss rehabilitation and exercise following peripheral nerve injury in animal models and its effects on peripheral nerve regeneration and recovery of function. Thirty-eight articles met inclusion criteria; all were prospective studies in animal models. This systematic review suggests that exercise is a useful tool in returning autonomy to the individual and has beneficial effects in the recovery from peripheral nerve injury. It is beneficial to use rehabilitation exercises following the repair of peripheral nerve injuries to promote regeneration, and timing of that exercise may be just as important as the exercise prescribed. However, further studies with standardized models and outcome measures need to be conducted before translation to clinical trials.