Neural Adaptations to Metronome-Paced Strength Training

Egas Moniz - Cooperativa de Ensino Superior, CRL

Status: Enrolling

Conditions: Healthy

Treatments: Other: Isochronous Paced; Other: Self Paced; Other: Fractal Paced

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06532786

METROTRAIN - 1403

Details and patient eligibility

About

The aim of the study is to investigate the effects of incorporating variability within Resistance Training (RT) methods on the neural adaptations along the corticospinal tract and on neuromuscular function. The literature suggests that RTis one of the most common modalities to enhance and restore muscle function and its practice results in adaptation in neural and morphological adaptations. It is also known that conditions such as ageing and injury have a negative impact on neural drive to the muscles with consequences at motor control level that are not addressed by traditional RT. Recent approaches such as metronome paced strength training have been used to cover this motor control dimension through a greater control and consciousness of movement. However, this methodology tends not to incorporate the inherent variability and complex, fractal-like fluctuations that characterize human movement. The investigators propose that incorporating variability through a fractal-like metronome approach will speed up the neural adaptations which will be useful in injury rehab.

Enrollment: 60 estimated patients

Sex: Male

Ages: 18 to 40 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• aged between 18 and 40 years

Exclusion criteria

• Neurologic conditions;
• Lower limb disabilities or disease;
• Not able to provide informed consent;
• Have an implanted device (e.g. pacemakers) or any metal in the body;
• Medication advised against the application of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation;
• History/family history of seizures, brain lesions or head trauma, neurological or psychiatric diseases, epilepsy, migraine

Trial design

Primary purpose: Basic Science

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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60 participants in 3 patient groups

Fractal Paced

Experimental group

Description:

Strength training in single leg extension machine, synchronizing each repetition with a fractal-like visual metronome, i.e., a metronome presenting visual external cues with variability within its temporal structure.

Treatment:

Other: Fractal Paced

Isochronous Paced

Experimental group

Description:

Strength training in single leg extension machine, synchronizing each repetition with a isochronus visual metronome, i.e., a metronome presenting visual external cues withthe same pace in each repetition (without variability)

Treatment:

Other: Isochronous Paced

Self Paced

Experimental group

Description:

Strength training in single leg extension machine at participants self pace.

Treatment:

Other: Self Paced