Active clinical trials for "Muscle Weakness"

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is a common sport injury in both professional and recreational athletes. Furthermore, persistent quadriceps weakness and wasting are frequently observed after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). Several studies have demonstrated that muscular rehabilitation to normal strength is difficult, protracted, and often not achieved due to the inability to fully activate the quadriceps voluntarily. Pain and disuse are often blamed for the inhibition of muscle activation following joint injury. However, arthrogenic muscle inhibition (AMI) is often overlooked and not addressed. Thus, the magnitude of strength restoration of the quadriceps is frequently restricted despite solid rehabilitation protocols. As AMI is a reflex inhibition of musculature involving the neurotransmitter γ-aminobutyrate (GABA), Gabapentin may have a potential role in modulating AMI, therefore limiting muscle weakness after ACLR.

This 8-week study will investigate whether the application of blood flow restriction (BFR) therapy augments rotator cuff strength in untrained individuals. This is a RCT with subjects randomized to a BFR or non-BFR group. Both groups will do the same training program: 1) first sitting unilateral knee extension and standing unilateral knee curls (w/ or w/o BFR; 4 sets, 30/15/15/15 reps) and 2) scaption and sidelying external rotation (no BFR for either group; 3 sets x 15 reps each).

After a hospitalization in Intensive Care Unit (ICU), approximately 50% of patients usually have a ICU-Weakness, i.e. nerves and muscles injury secondary to immobilization and to treatments which had to be used. This disease is expected to be similar or even higher in patients suffering from COVID-19 and hospitalized in ICU due to the average length of hospitalization of several weeks in this population. This condition will delay the return-to-walk of these patients, their discharge from hospitalization and may deteriorate their autonomy in daily life activities. Virtual Reality (VR) environments are already used and have proven their worth for the assessment and rehabilitation of patients with neurological diseases. It therefore seems appropriate to offer the use of virtual environments for this type of population. VR represents a unique opportunity for the rehabilitation care of these patients, and in particular those who have been reached by COVID-19, due to the possible mismatch between the amount of motor rehabilitation to be provided and the fatigability and breathlessness at the slightest effort which seem particularly intense in this population. The main objective of our project is to improve and to accelerate gait recovery in patients hospitalized in Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine after discharge from Resuscitation or Continuous Care Unit and in patients hospitalized in ICU and presenting ICU-weakness secondary to resuscitation, notably due to COVID-19 infection, thanks to the use of Virtual Reality tools. The VR tool will consist of virtual environments presented using a Virtual Reality headset where an avatar (double) of the patient hospitalized in Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine or in ICU will be represented, who will perform different motor tasks involving their lower limbs (ex: walking, or kicking a ball) in several different virtual environments (settings). The patient will be asked to observe actions, then to imagine carrying out their actions which will be performed by the avatar in the virtual environment, then they will be able to control the actions of the avatar using their legs thanks to sensors, then feel walking sensations through the use of haptic devices.

Every individual with joint hypermobility may not apply to a health institution because they do not have a complaint that will affect their daily life. Although hypermobility is a common clinical entity in the society, this issue has not been fully understood yet. In particular, individuals with GJH are either neglected in physiotherapy and rehabilitation evaluations and practices, or they encounter an incomplete assessment and physiotherapy practices. In this study, in order to better understand the effect of GJH on "core" muscle endurance, upper extremity strength, grip strength and coordination, we will include the individuals identified GJH among the university students (hypermobility severity ≥4/9 according to Beighton diagnostic criteria) as study group and the healthy peers as control group. We believe the results we will obtain at the end of our study will make a contribution to the literature in terms of revealing the role of "core" muscle endurance and upper extremity strength, grip strength and coordination in the evaluation and rehabilitation of individuals with GJH. In addition, it will contribute to the inclusion of individuals with GJH who are professional athletes, dancers or musicians in a more comprehensive evaluation program and the creation of physiotherapy and rehabilitation programs. According to the information we have obtained from the literature, it is a fact that hypermobility can increase the susceptibility to musculoskeletal system diseases. For this reason, early solutions to problems can be provided by evaluating hypermobility in patients who apply to health institutions with various musculoskeletal complaints, raising awareness of patients with hypermobility to prevent injuries caused by hypermobility, and strengthening muscles.

In this study, it is assumed that grip strength is associated with pelvic floor muscle strength. And the outcome of pelvic floor function can be predicted by referring to the status of pelvic floor muscle strength through the value of grip strength, which is labor-saving, time-saving and more convenient for evaluating pelvic floor muscle function. Moderate physical activity and increase the overall strength can activate the potential mechanism of pelvic floor muscle contraction at the same time may be a "core muscles" overall effect, that core muscles mainly includes transverse abdominal muscle, pelvic floor muscles and the muscles around the back, these muscles in the body movement to spontaneous collaboration contract pelvic floor muscles, enhancing pelvic floor muscle function, thus reducing the incidence of pelvic floor dysfunction.

The purpose of the study is to systematically capture and characterize mental comorbidities for patients with myasthenia gravis. Anxiety disorders and depression for example, can negatively affect the quality of life and lead to e.g. unemployment and early retirement especially in young patients. Additionally the researchers want to find out in what way certain aspects of the disease have an influence on the quality of life, and whether different concepts of coping with the disease have different effects on the quality of life for patients with myasthenia gravis. During the study, close relatives of patients will also be asked to provide input about their current stress situation in the context of supporting their relative. Based on the results, the investigators want to improve and supplement established treatment concepts, to ensure a more comprehensive and individual treatment.

The SARA-OBS is a single arm phase 2 clinical trial, with no investigational product and no therapeutic intervention that will be conducted in three European countries, (Belgium, France and Italy), and in the US. 300 community dwelling older adults (men or women≥65 years) reporting loss of physical function and at risk of mobility disability, will undergo mobility functional evaluation and Dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry DXA scan for body composition determination twice, at six-month interval. Participants aged ≥ 65 years complaining of poor physical function will be selected to perform SPPB (Short Physical Performance Battery)tests. Those with SPPB scores ≤ 8/12 will be selected to perform body composition analysis with DXA Scan. Participants with ALM/BMI < 0.789 in men and 0.512 in women will be included. The investigational phase will comprise two main visits: the inclusion visit and the 6-month visit. Both the 6-minute walk distance test and the 400-metre walking test will be administered at the main visits. Patient Reported Outcomes (PROs) will be completed by the patients at the same visits.

Patients surviving critical illness suffered significant skeletal muscle dysfunction and weakness that impacts their functionality and independence. The primary purpose of this project is to develop a classification system based on the health and function of the muscle at very early time points during critical illness. The investigators will determine if muscle ultrasound can predict functional recovery at six-months post hospital discharge. Researchers will assess muscle health and function from starting day one of admission to ICU and continue until six months of recovery. In addition to muscle ultrasound, the investigators will assess muscle strength and power, and perform muscle tissue analysis on a subset of individuals. These findings will be correlated to physical function and independence at six-month follow-up.

The combination of heart failure (HF) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is highly prevalent, but underdiagnosed and poorly recognized. It has been suggested that the decline in functional capacity is associated with musculoskeletal and systemic changes than primary organ (heart and/or lung) failure. In addition, it is recognized that both diseases have several mechanisms that are responsible for musculoskeletal impairment. However, the association of reduced systemic perfusion with low oxygen content observed in the association of HF and COPD may contribute to the worsening of the components of the muscle impairment cascade. Thus, muscle strength and fatigue may not only be even more altered but may also be the main determinants of functional capacity in patients with coexistence of HF and COPD. Although many studies have evaluated the muscle performance of patients with HF or COPD, the literature did not show data on worsening due to the association of the diseases. Particularities identification of the muscle impairment in the coexistence of HF and COPD is fundamental for the development of rehabilitation strategies, mainly through physical exercise. In this line, the present study tested the hypothesis that the coexistence of HF and COPD could present lower values of strength and greater fatigue. Similarly, the muscle dysfunction degree could strongly correlate with the performance markers of the incremental or functional tests in patients with HF associated with COPD. The study protocol was reviewed and approved by the Institutional Research Board. All subjects gave written informed consent before participating in the study.

Low creatinine levels may be a sign of muscle atrophy or weakness, and therefore predictive for respiratory insufficiency in the Intensive care unit (ICU) patients. The investigators compared the outcomes of participants with low creatinine levels with subsequent ICU participants admitted into ICU in the tertiary hospital.