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Muscle strength in individuals with healed burns
D M St-Pierre1, M Choinière, R Forget
1School of Physical & Occupational Therapy, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
|February 25, 1998
Summary
Severe burns (>30% TBSA) lead to long-term muscle weakness, impacting strength and power years after healing. This suggests incomplete recovery or inadequate rehabilitation following major burn injuries.
Area of Science:
- Rehabilitation Medicine
- Trauma Surgery
- Orthopedic Surgery
Background:
- Burn injuries can have lasting effects on physical function.
- Muscle strength and power are crucial for recovery and quality of life post-burn.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify long-term muscle strength deficits after burns.
- To assess the influence of burn severity on muscle recovery.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study comparing healed burn survivors to matched controls.
- Muscle strength, work, and power of elbow and knee flexors/extensors were measured.
- Subjects with burns >30% TBSA were compared to those with <30% TBSA and controls.
Main Results:
- Severe burns (>30% TBSA) resulted in significant long-term reductions in quadriceps strength and power (15.2-20.5%).
- Elbow flexor/extensor power was also compromised in severely burned individuals.
- No significant strength differences were found between controls and individuals with smaller burns (<30% TBSA).
Conclusions:
- Severe burn injuries (>30% TBSA) cause persistent muscle weakness.
- Long-term deficits may indicate incomplete functional recovery or insufficient rehabilitation.
- Targeted rehabilitation strategies may be necessary for severe burn survivors.