childhood CMT - feasibility of foot and ankle strength training

[Guest guest]

Neuromuscul Disord. 2009 Oct 9. [Epub ahead of print]

Feasibility of foot and ankle strength training in childhood Charcot-Marie-Tooth

disease.

Burns J, J, Ouvrier R.

Discipline of Paediatrics and Child Health, Sydney Medical School, The

University of Sydney/Institute for Neuroscience and Muscle Research, The

Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

Weakness of ankle dorsiflexion is the cardinal manifestation of CMT. We

investigated if a 12-week progressive resistance dorsiflexion strengthening

program was feasible, safe and beneficial in a 15-year-old girl with an axonal

form of CMT.

Training load was based on a dose-escalating percentage of one-repetition

maximum, completed on three non-consecutive days each week. Outcomes included

dynamometric foot strength, motor function and instrumented walking ability.

At 12-weeks, dorsiflexion strength improved 56-72% and plantarflexion strength

by 15-20%. Standing long jump increased by 16%, while balance and endurance did

not. Walking ability improved for speed, cadence, step time and stride length.

Compliance was high and there were no adverse events. This case suggests

progressive strength training might be a feasible intervention to help foot

weakness and disability in childhood CMT.