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Intensive exercise after thermal injury improves physical, functional, and psychological outcomes: A controlled trial
The Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, 06/04/2012
Paratz JD et al. – A high–intensity cardiovascular or resisted exercise program resulted in significant improvements in functional, physical, and psychologic measures and should be mandatory for all burns patients.
Methods- A quasi-randomized controlled trial was instituted after final grafting.
- Both groups completed stretching, and the intervention group underwent a supervised high-intensity (80% maximal heart rate and 70% three repetition maximum) combined aerobic or resisted exercise program for 6weeks, with outcome measures at baseline, 6weeks, and 3months by a blinded assessor.
- Analysis was by intention to treat.
- Thirty patients (24 men) with a mean age of 34.3 years (+/-13.1years) and mean total body surface area 42.9% (+/-13.3%) were enrolled.
- Inequalities at baseline (age and total body surface area %) were adjusted statistically.
- A between within repeated measures analysis of variance found significant group x time effects between the groups.
- Mean change scores from baseline to 12weeks between control and intervention groups, respectively, were strength (kg): quadriceps (17.5 vs. 66.87), latissimus dorsi (6.07 vs. 27.82), right (4.86 vs. 14.86) and left (7.26 vs. 16.83) hand grip; fitness: peak oxygen consumption (L/min; 0.11 vs. 0.93) and shuttle walk distance (m; 168.93 vs. 459); function: lower extremity function score (8.87 vs. 27.31) and QuickDash (-5.7 vs. -23.98); and health-related quality of life: Burns-Specific Health Scale-Abbreviated (-7.64 vs. 35.13).
- There were no adverse events during either testing or training.