For patients with burn injury, exercise training administered during the acute phase improved muscle strength and reduced muscle wasting throughout their stay at a burn center, according to a study published in Burns. David R. Schieffelers, PhD, and colleagues conducted a multicenter trial of 57 adults with burns ranging between 10% and 70% TBSA. Participants received either standard of care alone or standard of care with exercise, which consisted of aerobic and resistance training beginning as early as possible while adhering to safety criteria. Muscle layer thickness (QMLT) and rectus femoris cross-sectional area (RF-CSA), muscle wasting, muscle strength, and QOL (based on the Burn Specific Health Scale-Brief [BSHS-B] and EQ-5D-5 L) were evaluated at baseline, 4 and 8 weeks later, or at discharge from the hospital. The study team observed that exercise training added to standard of care produced considerable improvements in muscle strength, QMLT, RF-CSA, and BSHS-B subscale hand function.
