The effects of 10,000 voluntary contractions over 8 weeks on the strength of very weak muscles in people with spinal cord injury: a randomised controlled trial

Lydia W. Chen; Joanne V. Glinsky; Md. Shofiqul Islam; Muzaffor Hossain; Claire L. Boswell-Ruys; Chitra Kataria; Jason Redhead; Yuan Xiong; Emilie  Gollan; Punam D. Costa; Sophie Denis; Marsha Ben; Lovely Chaudhary; Jun Wang; Md. Abu Khayer Hasnat; Jayne Yeomans; Simon C. Gandevia; Lisa A. Harvey

doi:10.1038/s41393-020-0439-1

The effects of 10,000 voluntary contractions over 8 weeks on the strength of very weak muscles in people with spinal cord injury: a randomised controlled trial

Lydia W. Chen, Joanne V. Glinsky, Md. Shofiqul Islam, Muzaffor Hossain, Claire L. Boswell-Ruys, Chitra Kataria, Jason Redhead, Yuan Xiong, Emilie Gollan, Punam D. Costa, Sophie Denis, Marsha Ben, Lovely Chaudhary, Jun Wang, Md. Abu Khayer Hasnat, Jayne Yeomans, Simon C. Gandevia, Lisa A. Harvey

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Abstract

Study design A multi-centred, single-blinded randomised controlled trial.

Objectives To determine the effect of 10,000 voluntary contractions over 8 weeks on the strength of very weak muscles in people with spinal cord injury (SCI).

Settings Seven hospitals in Australia and Asia.

Methods One hundred and twenty people with recent SCI undergoing inpatient rehabilitation were randomised to either a Treatment or Control Group. One major muscle group from an upper or lower limb was selected if the muscle had grade 1 or grade 2 strength on a standard six-point manual muscle test. Participants allocated to the Treatment Group performed 10,000 isolated contractions of the selected muscle group, as well as usual care in 48 sessions over 8 weeks. Participants allocated to the Control Group received usual care alone. Participants were assessed at baseline and 8 weeks by a blinded assessor. The primary outcome was voluntary muscle strength on a 13-point manual muscle test. There were three secondary outcomes capturing therapists’ and participants’ perceptions of strength and function.

Results The mean between-group difference of voluntary strength at 8 weeks was 0.4/13 points (95% confidence interval −0.5 to 1.4) in favour of the Treatment Group. There were no notable between-group differences on any secondary outcome.

Conclusion Ten thousand isolated contractions of very weak muscles in people with SCI over 8 weeks has either no or a very small effect on voluntary strength.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	857-864
Number of pages	8
Journal	Spinal Cord
Volume	58
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41393-020-0439-1
Publication status	Published - 21 Feb 2020
Externally published	Yes

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Copyright the Author(s) 2020. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.

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Chen, L. W., Glinsky, J. V., Shofiqul Islam, M., Hossain, M., Boswell-Ruys, C. L., Kataria, C., Redhead, J., Xiong, Y., Gollan, E., Costa, P. D., Denis, S., Ben, M., Chaudhary, L., Wang, J., Khayer Hasnat, M. A., Yeomans, J., Gandevia, S. C., & Harvey, L. A. (2020). The effects of 10,000 voluntary contractions over 8 weeks on the strength of very weak muscles in people with spinal cord injury: a randomised controlled trial. Spinal Cord, 58, 857-864. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41393-020-0439-1

@article{237bc29393e94c9e811b88d64d094739,

title = "The effects of 10,000 voluntary contractions over 8 weeks on the strength of very weak muscles in people with spinal cord injury: a randomised controlled trial",

abstract = "Study design A multi-centred, single-blinded randomised controlled trial. Objectives To determine the effect of 10,000 voluntary contractions over 8 weeks on the strength of very weak muscles in people with spinal cord injury (SCI). Settings Seven hospitals in Australia and Asia. Methods One hundred and twenty people with recent SCI undergoing inpatient rehabilitation were randomised to either a Treatment or Control Group. One major muscle group from an upper or lower limb was selected if the muscle had grade 1 or grade 2 strength on a standard six-point manual muscle test. Participants allocated to the Treatment Group performed 10,000 isolated contractions of the selected muscle group, as well as usual care in 48 sessions over 8 weeks. Participants allocated to the Control Group received usual care alone. Participants were assessed at baseline and 8 weeks by a blinded assessor. The primary outcome was voluntary muscle strength on a 13-point manual muscle test. There were three secondary outcomes capturing therapists{\textquoteright} and participants{\textquoteright} perceptions of strength and function. Results The mean between-group difference of voluntary strength at 8 weeks was 0.4/13 points (95\% confidence interval −0.5 to 1.4) in favour of the Treatment Group. There were no notable between-group differences on any secondary outcome. Conclusion Ten thousand isolated contractions of very weak muscles in people with SCI over 8 weeks has either no or a very small effect on voluntary strength.",

author = "Chen, \{Lydia W.\} and Glinsky, \{Joanne V.\} and \{Shofiqul Islam\}, Md. and Muzaffor Hossain and Boswell-Ruys, \{Claire L.\} and Chitra Kataria and Jason Redhead and Yuan Xiong and Emilie Gollan and Costa, \{Punam D.\} and Sophie Denis and Marsha Ben and Lovely Chaudhary and Jun Wang and \{Khayer Hasnat\}, \{Md. Abu\} and Jayne Yeomans and Gandevia, \{Simon C.\} and Harvey, \{Lisa A.\}",

note = "Copyright the Author(s) 2020. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.",

year = "2020",

month = feb,

day = "21",

doi = "10.1038/s41393-020-0439-1",

language = "English",

volume = "58",

pages = "857--864",

journal = "Spinal Cord",

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Chen, LW, Glinsky, JV, Shofiqul Islam, M, Hossain, M, Boswell-Ruys, CL, Kataria, C, Redhead, J, Xiong, Y, Gollan, E, Costa, PD, Denis, S, Ben, M, Chaudhary, L, Wang, J, Khayer Hasnat, MA, Yeomans, J, Gandevia, SC & Harvey, LA 2020, 'The effects of 10,000 voluntary contractions over 8 weeks on the strength of very weak muscles in people with spinal cord injury: a randomised controlled trial', Spinal Cord, vol. 58, pp. 857-864. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41393-020-0439-1

TY - JOUR

T1 - The effects of 10,000 voluntary contractions over 8 weeks on the strength of very weak muscles in people with spinal cord injury

T2 - a randomised controlled trial

AU - Chen, Lydia W.

AU - Glinsky, Joanne V.

AU - Shofiqul Islam, Md.

AU - Hossain, Muzaffor

AU - Boswell-Ruys, Claire L.

AU - Kataria, Chitra

AU - Redhead, Jason

AU - Xiong, Yuan

AU - Gollan, Emilie

AU - Costa, Punam D.

AU - Denis, Sophie

AU - Ben, Marsha

AU - Chaudhary, Lovely

AU - Wang, Jun

AU - Khayer Hasnat, Md. Abu

AU - Yeomans, Jayne

AU - Gandevia, Simon C.

AU - Harvey, Lisa A.

N1 - Copyright the Author(s) 2020. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.

PY - 2020/2/21

Y1 - 2020/2/21

N2 - Study design A multi-centred, single-blinded randomised controlled trial. Objectives To determine the effect of 10,000 voluntary contractions over 8 weeks on the strength of very weak muscles in people with spinal cord injury (SCI). Settings Seven hospitals in Australia and Asia. Methods One hundred and twenty people with recent SCI undergoing inpatient rehabilitation were randomised to either a Treatment or Control Group. One major muscle group from an upper or lower limb was selected if the muscle had grade 1 or grade 2 strength on a standard six-point manual muscle test. Participants allocated to the Treatment Group performed 10,000 isolated contractions of the selected muscle group, as well as usual care in 48 sessions over 8 weeks. Participants allocated to the Control Group received usual care alone. Participants were assessed at baseline and 8 weeks by a blinded assessor. The primary outcome was voluntary muscle strength on a 13-point manual muscle test. There were three secondary outcomes capturing therapists’ and participants’ perceptions of strength and function. Results The mean between-group difference of voluntary strength at 8 weeks was 0.4/13 points (95% confidence interval −0.5 to 1.4) in favour of the Treatment Group. There were no notable between-group differences on any secondary outcome. Conclusion Ten thousand isolated contractions of very weak muscles in people with SCI over 8 weeks has either no or a very small effect on voluntary strength.

AB - Study design A multi-centred, single-blinded randomised controlled trial. Objectives To determine the effect of 10,000 voluntary contractions over 8 weeks on the strength of very weak muscles in people with spinal cord injury (SCI). Settings Seven hospitals in Australia and Asia. Methods One hundred and twenty people with recent SCI undergoing inpatient rehabilitation were randomised to either a Treatment or Control Group. One major muscle group from an upper or lower limb was selected if the muscle had grade 1 or grade 2 strength on a standard six-point manual muscle test. Participants allocated to the Treatment Group performed 10,000 isolated contractions of the selected muscle group, as well as usual care in 48 sessions over 8 weeks. Participants allocated to the Control Group received usual care alone. Participants were assessed at baseline and 8 weeks by a blinded assessor. The primary outcome was voluntary muscle strength on a 13-point manual muscle test. There were three secondary outcomes capturing therapists’ and participants’ perceptions of strength and function. Results The mean between-group difference of voluntary strength at 8 weeks was 0.4/13 points (95% confidence interval −0.5 to 1.4) in favour of the Treatment Group. There were no notable between-group differences on any secondary outcome. Conclusion Ten thousand isolated contractions of very weak muscles in people with SCI over 8 weeks has either no or a very small effect on voluntary strength.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85079808418

U2 - 10.1038/s41393-020-0439-1

DO - 10.1038/s41393-020-0439-1

M3 - Article

C2 - 32086442

SN - 1362-4393

VL - 58

SP - 857

EP - 864

JO - Spinal Cord

JF - Spinal Cord

ER -

The effects of 10,000 voluntary contractions over 8 weeks on the strength of very weak muscles in people with spinal cord injury: a randomised controlled trial

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