The Impact of an Arm Ergometry Training Programme on Cardiovascular Fitness, Energy Cost of Walking and Fatigue in Prior Polio Patients
Overview
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Intervention
- Not specified
- Conditions
- Postpoliomyelitis Syndrome
- Sponsor
- Royal College of Surgeons, Ireland
- Enrollment
- 55
- Locations
- 1
- Primary Endpoint
- Six Minute Arm Test
- Status
- Completed
- Last Updated
- 12 years ago
Overview
Brief Summary
The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of upper limb cardiovascular training on fitness, energy cost of walking, fatigue and pain in polio survivors. Polio survivors often have difficulty accessing aerobic forms of exercise due to limitations in mobility, pain associated with walking and fatigue. This can result in becoming physically unfit and places polio survivors at risk of secondary heath problems due to inactivity. A large percentage of polio survivors have lower limb involvement but have strong arms. The participants in this study will exercise at home using simple arm cycles for 8 weeks. They will attend for assessment on two occasions. All exercise will be prescribed by a Physiotherapist and includes measures to ensure safety while exercising at home.
Detailed Description
The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommendations state that stable muscle groups should be utilised for exercise in polio survivors and that patients with severe atrophic polio or with recent weakness should not exercise, while March of Dimes (2001) recommend not exercising muscle groups where new weakness is being experienced. Floor or treadmill walking or lower limb cycling may also aggravate pain in those with lower limb weakness and altered lower limb biomechanics. Training with an upper limb ergometer is likely to be an appropriate form of exercise in patients with good, stable upper limb strength. One small, but well designed, trial of upper limb ergometry over 16 weeks resulted in a 19% increase in maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) in 10 postpolio subjects exercising 3 times per week (Kriz et al 1992). ACSM recommend using a Schwinn Air-DyneTM four limb exerciser; however this is an expensive and bulky piece of equipment and is unlikely to be feasible for ongoing use by community dwelling polio survivors. A small upper limb ergometer may be a cost effective, accessible option for exercise for community dwelling polio survivors. A closely monitored and carefully prescribed cardiovascular fitness programme may enable polio survivors, who have gained control of symptoms of fatigue and pain through changes in lifestyle and activity, to increase fitness and perhaps subsequently reduce energy cost of walking.
Investigators
Deirdre Murray
Clinical Specialist Physiotehrapist in Neurosciences and PhD student
Royal College of Surgeons, Ireland
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria
- •A confirmed history of Poliomyelitis affecting at least one lower limb, confirmed by the consultant Neurologist, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, and documented in the medical chart.
- •Capable of walking for 6 minutes, with or without an aid or appliance (as reported by the patient).
- •Good upper limb strength, confirmed objectively by Quantitative Muscle Analysis (QMA) (Maximum Voluntary Isometric Contraction (MVIC)). MVIC scores of 7 out of 10 tested upper limb movements must lie above the 5th percentile of the normal range.
- •Completion of the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q) and cleared by medical practitioner as safe for exercise if indicated.
- •Aged \> 18 and \< 75 NOTE: Participants must be resident in Ireland.
Exclusion Criteria
- •History of unstable cardiac or respiratory conditions
- •Uncontrolled hypertension
- •Oxygen dependence
- •Significant upper limb pain (Visual Analogue Scale \> 4 or more than 3 specific sites of pain)
- •Severe fatigue (Fatigue Severity Scale \> 5)
- •Recent onset of upper limb weakness or severe upper limb weakness (\< 5th percentile on more than 3 tested upper limb movements, either reported by the patient or measured using Quantitative Muscle assessment.
- •Steroid use in last 3 months
- •Use of medications which may influence cardiovascular testing (Beta-blockers etc)
- •Pregnant Women
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Six Minute Arm Test
Time Frame: Eight weeks
The Six Minute Arm test is a submaximal cardiovascular fitness test. The American College of Sports Medicine recommend submaximal fitness testing, limited to 6-12 minutes and using either four limb ergometry or an upper limb ergometer in prior polio patients. The 6 Minute Arm Test (Hol et al 2007) is such a submaximal upper limb exercise test, which has been developed and found valid and reliable in spinal cord injury.
The Physical Activity Scale for Persons with Physical Disabilities
Time Frame: Eight weeks
The Physical Activity Scale for Persons with Physical Disabilities is a subjectively reported survey of activity levels in people with physical disabilities. Preliminary validation has been completed by Washburn et al (2002).
Secondary Outcomes
- Upper Limb Maximal Voluntary Isometric Contraction(Eight weeks)
- Short Form McGill Pain Questionnaire version 2 (SF-MPQ-2)(Eight weeks)
- The Fatigue Severity Scale(Eight weeks)
- Body Mass Index and Waist to hip Ratio(Eight weeks)
- Hand Grip Motor Fatigue(Eight weeks)
- Short Form 36 Version 2 (SF-36 v2)(Eight weeks)
- Physiological Cost Index(Eight weeks)