fatigue/resistance training/exercise in CMT persons

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(Older article on resistance training in which CMT people participated

in - from the Netherlands)~ G

1: J Electromyogr Kinesiol 1999 Dec;9(6):379-84

Progressive resistance training in neuromuscular patients. Effects on

force and surface EMG.

Lindeman E, Spaans F, Reulen J, Leffers P, Drukker J.

Department of Rehabilitation, University Hospital Maastricht,

The Netherlands. e.lindeman@...

In a randomized clinical trial the efficacy of strength training was

studied in patients with myotonic dystrophy (n = 33) and in patients

with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (n = 29). Measurements were performed

at the start and after 8, 16 and 24 weeks of progressive resistance

training.

Surface electromyography (SEMG) of proximal leg muscles was recorded

during isometric knee extension at maximum voluntary contraction (MVC)

and at 20, 40, 60 and 80% of MVC. Changes in MVC, maximum electrical

activity and torque-EMG ratios (TER) were

calculated. Fatigue was studied by determining the changes in endurance

and in the decline of the median frequency (Fmed) of the SEMG during a

sustained contraction at 80% MVC. These parameters showed no significant

changes after the training in either of the diagnostic groups.

Only the Charcot-Marie-Tooth training group showed a gradual significant

increase in mean MVC over the whole training period (21%). After 24

weeks, the increase in mean RMS was similar (25%), but this was mainly

due to a sharp rise during the first 8 weeks of training (20%). The

findings indicate that the initial strength increase was due to a neural

factor, while the subsequent increase was mainly due to muscle

hypertrophy.