Abstract
Study design
Pretest-posttest design.
Objectives
To investigate mechanisms by which short-term resistance training (6 weeks) increases strength of partially paralysed muscles in people with spinal cord injury (SCI).
Setting
Community-based setting, Sydney, Australia.
Participants
Ten community-dwelling people with partial paralysis of elbow flexor, elbow extensor, knee flexor or knee extensor muscles following SCI (range 5 months to 14 years since injury).
Methods
Muscle architecture and strength were assessed before and after participants underwent a six week strength-training program targeting one partially paralysed muscle group. The outcome of primary interest was physiological cross sectional area (PCSA) of the trained muscle group measured using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Other outcomes were changes in mean muscle fascicle length, muscle volume, pennation angle, isometric strength and muscle strength graded on a 13-point scale.
Results
The mean increase in maximal isometric muscle strength was 14% (95% CI, −3 to 30%) and 1.5 points (95% CI, 0.5 to 2.5) on the 13-point manual muscle test. There was no evidence of a change in muscle architecture.
Conclusion
This study is the first to examine the mechanisms by which voluntary strength training increases strength of partially paralysed muscles in people with SCI. The data suggest that strength gains produced by six weeks of strength training are not caused by changes in muscle architecture. This suggests short-term strength gains are due to increased neural drive or an increase in specific muscle tension.
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Data availability
Data set available in supplementary material.
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Acknowledgements
We thank all our participants who gave up their time to contribute to the study. We would also like to thank Fernanda Di Natal for her assistance with the study.
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The National Health and Medical Research Council and icare.
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EAB and RDH came up with the study concept. All authors developed the study design and protocol. EAB collected the study data. All authors, were involved in the analysis and interpretation of data. EAB prepared the first draft of the manuscript. All co-authors provided input and critical review of the manuscript leading to the final version. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
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Bye, E.A., Harvey, L.A., Glinsky, J.V. et al. A preliminary investigation of mechanisms by which short-term resistance training increases strength of partially paralysed muscles in people with spinal cord injury. Spinal Cord 57, 770–777 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41393-019-0284-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41393-019-0284-2
