Strength Training Augmenting Rehabilitation (STAR)

Texas Christian University

Status: Unknown

Conditions: Muscle Disuse Atrophy

Treatments: Other: Bilateral resistance training; Procedure: Orthopedic immobilization; Other: Unilateral resistance training

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT05097092

2021-101

Details and patient eligibility

About

This project aims to determine whether a novel strength training rehabilitation protocol can diminish the negative consequences of limb immobilization and expedite the restoration of muscle function during retraining in healthy individuals.

Full description

The present study will examine the time course of muscle strength and size adaptations in two groups of volunteers during immobilization and retraining. Both groups will undergo temporary muscle disuse by wearing a shoulder sling and swathe on their non-dominant arm for ~≥10 hours/day for four weeks. One group (immobilization + unilateral training) will perform progressive unilateral strength training of the free limb throughout the immobilization period. The other group (immobilization control) will not undergo any training during the immobilization period. Following immobilization, both groups will undergo four weeks of bilateral strength training to retrain the immobilized arm.

Enrollment: 20 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 35 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• a body mass index between 18 - 35 kg/m2
• 18-35 years of age
• right-hand dominant
• willingness to comply with the immobilization requirements
• willingness to refrain from strength training outside of the study
• willingness to comply with the strength training procedures of the study

Exclusion criteria

• a personal or family history of blood clots
• a personal or family history of thyroid disorders
• previous orthopedic surgeries to the upper limbs and/or joint pain of the upper limbs in the last 6 months
• neuromuscular or metabolic disorders
• osteoarthritis
• use of hormone replacement therapy (ie., testosterone, estrogen, and/or growth hormone pharmaceuticals)
• pregnancy and/or nursing

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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20 participants in 2 patient groups

Immobilization control

Experimental group

Description:

The immobilization control group will undergo arm immobilization. Immobilization will be implemented with four weeks of muscle unloading with a sling and swathe on the nondominant arm. The sling will suspend the arm at the elbow joint with the elbow in a flexed position at 90°, the swathe will then wrap around the participant to fix the arm against the body.

Treatment:

Other: Bilateral resistance training

Procedure: Orthopedic immobilization

Immobilization with unilateral training

Experimental group

Description:

The immobilization with unilateral training group will undergo arm immobilization for four with a sling and swathe on the nondominant arm. The sling will suspend the arm at the elbow joint with the elbow in a flexed position at 90°, the swathe will then wrap around the participant to fix the arm against the body. The free (non-immobilzed) arm of this group will undergo heavy strength training twice per week throughout the immobilization period. The training will consist of unilateral dumbbell shoulder press and biceps curl.

Treatment:

Other: Unilateral resistance training

Other: Bilateral resistance training

Procedure: Orthopedic immobilization