There was no evidence of resistance-training regimens for cystic fibrosis (CF), and the potential advantages of adding neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) are uncertain. For a study, researchers sought to assess the effects of a supervised resistance-training program, whether or not it was connected with NMES, on muscular strength, aerobic fitness, lung function, and quality of life in children with CF who had mild-to-moderate pulmonary impairment.
It was a randomized controlled experiment with CF patients ranging in age from 6 to 17 years. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of three groups: control (CON), exercise (EX), or exercise plus NMES (EX + NMES), and were evaluated at the start and completion of an 8-week customized exercise program (3 days per week, 60 minutes per session). NMES was used in the quadriceps and interscapular areas simultaneously during the workouts. The CON group followed the recommendations of the CF team. The primary end measures were lung function, cardiorespiratory fitness, functional capacity, quality of life, and muscular strength.
A total of 27 patients, aged 12.6±3.0 years, were studied. There were no significant relationships detected for cardiorespiratory fitness. Significant variations in functional capacity were observed, showing improved performance in both EX and EX + NMES. There were no significant differences between groups in terms of quality of life or lung function. For quadriceps (P=0.004, η2p=0.401), pectoral (P=0.001, η2p=0.487), dorsal (P=0.009, η2p=0.333), and handgrip (P=0.028, η2p=0.278), EX and EX + NMES had substantial effect sizes and significant differences compared to CON.
In patients with CF with mild-to-moderate pulmonary impairment, a resistance exercise training program improved muscular strength and functional ability. The inclusion of NMES in the training regimen had no further beneficial benefits.
Reference:www.resmedjournal.com/article/S0954-6111(22)00063-4/fulltext
