Benefits of interval-training on fatigue and functional capacities in CMT

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Muscle Nerve. 2008 May;37(5):601-10.

Benefits of interval-training on fatigue and functional capacities in

Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease.

El Mhandi L, Millet GY, Calmels P, A, Oullion R, Gautheron V,

Féasson L.

Unit of Physiology, Physiopathology of Exercise and Handicap, Faculty

of Medicine Jacques Lisfranc, University Monnet, and Units of

Sport Medicine and Myology, Bellevue Hospital, 42055 Saint-Etienne,

France.

Exercise intolerance and undue fatigue are common complaints in

patients with Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease. Reduced physical

ability is due directly to the disease, but it is also due to

physical deconditioning. The aim of this study was to test whether 24

weeks of interval-training exercise (ITE) cycling can significantly

improve physiological, neuromuscular, and functional capacities and

alleviate fatigue in CMT patients.

Eight CMT patients (4 CMT1A and 4 CMT2) participated in ITE for 3

nonconsecutive days per week. Cardiovascular fitness, muscle

strength, fatigue resistance, and functional capacities were measured

before and after 12 weeks of supervised hospital training and again

after another 12 weeks of unsupervised home training. Training was

well tolerated. There were significant improvements in

cardiorespiratory capacities, isokinetic concentric strength, and

functional ability measurements.

All patients experienced an improvement in their self-reported visual

analogic scale for fatigue and pain during training. However, there

was no significant change in their isometric force production and

indices of fatigue resistance after training. Although the

improvement in exercise tolerance may be due in part to reversal of

the deconditioning effect of their related sedentary lifestyle, this

clinical trial suggests that ITE can benefit CMT patients especially

in their functional performance and subjective perception of pain and

fatigue. Moreover, the improvement observed at the end of the first

supervised period ITE was maintained after the second unsupervised

home period, although there was no further improvement in performance

and tolerance.