An 8-month adapted motor activity program in a young CMT1A male patient

Abstract

Background:It is unclear whether prolonged periods of training can be well tolerated. In Charcot-Marie Tooth disease (CMT). We report the effects of an 8-month, adapted motor activity (AMA) program in a 16-years-old CMT1A male patient. The program included strength, mobility, and balance training (two sessions per week, 1 h per session).Measures:Walking ability and walking velocity (Six-Minute Walking Test—6MWT, Ten Meters Walking Test—10 mW T), balance (Y-Balance Test—YBT, Berg Balance Scale—BBS), functional mobility (Short Physical Performance Battery—Short physical performance battery), fatigue (Checklist Individual strength questionnaire - CIS20R), health and quality of life (Short Form Health Survey 36 questionnaire—SF-36) were evaluated in three moments: before (T0), after 5 (T1) and 8 (T2) months of adapted motor activity. Dorsal and plantar foot flexion strength (Maximal Voluntary Contraction—maximum voluntary contraction) and neuromuscular functions (Electromyography—sEMG, interpolated twitch technique—ITT) were measured at T1 and T2.Results:Relative to T0, an amelioration of walking ability (6MWT, +9,3%) and balance (with improvements on Y-balance composite normalized mean reach of the right and left limb of 15,3% and 8,5%, respectively) was appreciable. Relative to T1, an increase in foot strength in three out of four movements (right plantar flexion, +39,3%, left plantar flexion, +22,7%, left dorsal flexion, 11,5%) was observed. Concerning voluntary muscle activation, a greater recruitment in the left, unlike right, medial gastrocnemius was observed.Conclusion:Results suggest the safety of an 8-month AMA program in a young patient affected by CMT1A.