Muscle Weakness Clinical Trials

Following lung transplantation (LTX), patients may exhibit respiratory and skeletal muscle weakness that will affect exercise capacity, increase dyspnea and fatigue, limit activities of daily living (ADL) and decrease quality of life. Inspiratory muscle training (IMT) has been extensively studied in a variety of non-LTX populations and research has shown that IMT improves exercise capacity, diaphragmatic thickness, and reduced dyspnea during activities of daily living and improved quality of life in patients with advanced lung disease. The aim of this randomized controlled study is to investigate the benefits of providing inspiratory muscle training via use of an inspiratory muscle trainer device in addition to standard physical therapy in the acute phase of rehabilitation following LTX. Patients targeted for enrollment will be those with any type of advanced lung disease requiring LTX with the objective of demonstrating improvements in respiratory muscle recovery, perceived dyspnea, severity of fatigue, and overall functional status following the transplant procedure. Read Less

The goal of this intervention study is to learn about how weight loss impacts molecular signaling of intermuscular adipose tissue (IMAT) in individuals with obesity. The main question it aims to answer is how inflammatory molecules secreted by IMAT promote muscle insulin resistance and inflammation, and how these same molecules are diminished after weight loss. Following screening visits involving body composition measures, blood testing, strength testing, and a thigh muscle biopsy, participants will go through a 12-week dietary intervention for weight loss. After 12 weeks, this will be followed by the same testing and biopsies that were completed before the intervention. Researchers will then compare outcomes of individuals who lost weight to individuals who did not lose weight. Read Less

The aim of this prospective observational study is to investigate whether the presence or absence of directional preference impacts movement coordination impairments as measured in patients with Whiplash Associated Disorders (WAD). The primary research question this study aims to answer is: 1. Is the presence of directional preference in patients with WADs associated with more favorable improvements in the specific outcome measures as compared to those patients with WADs without the presence of directional preference. Patients in this study will asked to complete the following measures at baseline, during care, discharge, and 3 month follow up. Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) Optimal Screening for Prediction and Referral and Outcome-Yellow Flag (OSPRO-YF) Neck Disability Index (NDI) Craniocervical Flexion Test (CCFT) Neck Flexor Endurance Test Cervical Range of Motion Patients demonstrating a directional preference will be managed utilizing a Mechanical Diagnosis and Treatment approach (MDT) while those without directional preference will be managed according to published clinical practice guidelines for patients with Neck Pain and Movement Coordination Deficits (WADs). Read Less

The aim of this study is to investigate the efficacy of blood flow restriction (BFR) therapy in post operative rehabilitation following knee arthroscopy. Read Less

The goal of this controlled-feeding cross-over diet intervention is to compare a beef diet to a vegetarian diet on muscle fatigue in older adults. The aims are: AIM 1: To test the hypothesis that muscle fatigue is attenuated in older adults consuming beef compared to older adults consuming a plant-based diet. AIM2: To test the hypothesis that daily beef consumption improves biochemical indicators related to muscle fatigue. Participants will be randomized to consume either a beef-based diet or vegetarian diet under controlled-feeding conditions for 8 weeks. After a 2-week washout period, participants will cross-over to consume either the beef diet or vegetarian diet for 8 weeks. Body composition and functional muscle outcomes will be measured during each 8-week feeding period. Blood samples will also be collected. Read Less

Post-intensive care syndrome (PICS) encompasses persistent physical, cognitive, and psychiatric symptoms following ICU discharge, commonly triggered by serious conditions such as respiratory failure, sepsis, and mechanical ventilation. PICS prevalence is reported to be as high as 84% up to 12 months in patients with at least 2 days spent in the ICU or with mechanical ventilatory support. As a consequence, many patients do not return to they former level of function for weeks, months and even years. Muscular affection manifested by muscle weakness is particularly seen and is provoked by a combination of damage to the nerves or directly the muscles fibers. This affection is referred to as CU-Acquired Weakness (ICUAW). One third of the time, lower extremities are affected, often due to prolonged immobilization or sedation. Evidence suggests that early mobilization reduces the incidence of ICUAW at discharge and improves the number of patients able of stand. However achieving this early intervention is not always feasible due to time or personnel constraints. The purpose of the study is to examine the effectiveness of lower extremity neuromodulation for prevention of muscle deconditioning in patients admitted to the ICU. Read Less

The goal of this trial is to learn about how restricted sleep and not bearing weight on the leg affects muscle strength and posture control. Participants will walk exclusively on one leg, sleep at differing intervals, and complete posture tests, muscle strength tests, and muscle imaging. Researchers will compare adequate sleep and restricted sleep to see if muscle strength and posture are affected. Read Less

The overarching goal of the proposed study is to determine the trajectories of physical recovery and cellular markers involved with the underlying failure to recover muscle after critical illness, while exploring which characteristics are associated with sustained physical disability. This proposal will examine muscle pathophysiology carefully aligned with physical function outcomes in order to longitudinally assess the recovery, or failed recovery, of muscle function in participants after critical illness: to examine the recovery of muscle and physical function in ICU survivors through longitudinal assessments to investigate the underlying cellular markers and mechanisms of muscle recovery in ICU survivors to determine which cellular markers contribute to physical disability in ICU survivors up to 1 year after hospital admission Read Less

This study will evaluate lower extremity and trunk neuromuscular control in 78 nulligravid and postpartum women. Participants will attend two experimental sessions, approximately 1 week apart, to assess neuromuscular function. Physical activity levels will also be assessed. Read Less

The goal of this study is to determine the effects of a corticosteroid administered to the psoas muscle following a transpsoas lateral lumbar interbody fusion (LLIF) on postoperative hip flexor weakness and thigh pain and numbness. Read Less

The purpose of the pilot study is to examine acceptability and proof of concept effectiveness of a wireless TENS technology to address PACS associated FM. Sample size (n=40) is convenient and designed to explore acceptability and feasibility. Eligible participants will be screened at the BCM Post-COVID-19 Clinic for inclusion criteria. Participants, who satisfy the inclusion and exclusion criteria and sign the informed consent form will be randomly assigned with ratio of 1:1 into two groups. One group will utilize TENS functional devices (Active group, AG); the other group will utilize TENS non-functional devices (Placebo group, PG). The baseline measurements will be performed, and the patients will take the programmed device home for a duration of 4 weeks. Then, the patients will come back after four weeks (4W). At this 4th week visit, both groups will be unblinded and the AG will keep their functional device and the PG group will receive a functional device. Both groups will continue to deliver 3-5 hour of stimulation daily, until their final 8th week follow up visit (8W). The primary outcomes will be pain symptoms, sleep and fatigue. Secondary outcomes include limb strength and perfusion, gait assessment (gait speed, stride length, double stance, and gait steadiness), balance, pulse oximetry, and quality of life. The coordinator will utilize a weekly spreadsheet showing utilization (therapy sessions/day, logged in the Quell health Cloud) so compliance can be monitored and those that are not using the device can be encouraged. Read Less

The number of persons aged ≥60 years in the United States is expected to nearly double, from 57 to 109 million between 2010 and 2050. These demographic changes will have profound implications for the healthcare system because advanced age is associated with a heightened risk of negative health outcomes, including disability and frailty. Few therapeutic strategies currently exist to combat the age-related decline in physical functioning that stems from the progressive loss of muscle mass and strength. The goal of the proposed experiments is to determine the benefits of home-based leg heat therapy (HT) in old, sedentary individuals. This novel approach consists of trousers and a portable water pump. Hot water is circulated through the trousers, evenly heating the buttocks, thighs and calf. We propose to conduct a pilot randomized, sham-controlled trial in 20 sedentary, old individuals to establish the effect of daily home-based leg HT for 12 weeks on skeletal muscle size and function, walking performance and perceived quality of life. Participants will be asked to apply the treatment daily for 90 min using water-circulating trousers perfused with water heated to 42ºC (HT group, n=10) or 33ºC (sham group, n=10). The primary study outcomes is the change from baseline in 6-minute walk distance at 12-week follow up. Secondary outcomes include changes in calf muscle strength, as assessed using isokinetic dynamometry , sit-to-stand time, and calf muscle cross-sectional area, fat content and bioenergetics. Read Less