Validity of Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing for Assessing Aerobic Capacity in Neuromuscular Diseases.

Objectives: To determine the content validity of cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) for assessing peak oxygen uptake (VO) in neuromuscular diseases (NMD).

Design: Baseline assessment of a randomized controlled trial.

Setting: Academic hospital.

A Mobile Health App to Support Home-Based Aerobic Exercise in Neuromuscular Diseases: Usability Study.

Background: Home-based aerobic exercise in people with neuromuscular diseases (NMDs) has benefits compared to exercise in the hospital or a rehabilitation center because traveling is often cumbersome due to mobility limitations, and societal costs are lower. Barriers to home-based aerobic exercise include reduced possibilities for monitoring and lack of motivation. To overcome these and other barriers, we developed a mobile health app: Keep on training with ReVi (hereafter referred to as ReVi).

Safety, walking ability, and satisfaction outcomes of the NEURO TRONIC stance-control knee-ankle-foot orthosis (SCKAFO): A comparative evaluation to the E-MAG active SCKAFO.

Background: Stance control knee-ankle-foot orthoses (SCKAFOs) ensure knee stability by locking during stance while allowing knee flexion during swing. Differences in function of the knee joints and building principles between devices may affect their effectiveness.

Objective: To investigate the preliminary effectiveness of a NEURO TRONIC on safety outcomes, net energy cost (EC), and user experiences in individuals already using an E-MAG Active SCKAFO.

Gait stability and the relationship with energy cost of walking in polio survivors with unilateral plantarflexor weakness.

Background: Polio survivors often exhibit plantarflexor weakness, which impairs gait stability, and increases energy cost of walking. Quantifying gait stability could provide insights in the control mechanisms polio survivors use to maintain gait stability and in whether impaired gait stability is related to the increased energy cost of walking.

Research Question: Is gait stability impaired in polio survivors with plantarflexor weakness compared to able-bodied individuals, and does gait stability relate to energy cost of walking?

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed barefoot biomechanical gait data of 31 polio survivors with unilateral plantarflexor weakness and of 24 able-bodied individuals.

Effects of specialist care lower limb orthoses on personal goal attainment and walking ability in adults with neuromuscular disorders.

Background: Lower limb orthoses intend to improve walking in adults with neuromuscular disorders (NMD). Yet, reported group effects of lower limb orthoses on treatment outcomes have generally been small and heterogeneous. We propose that guideline-based orthotic care within a multidisciplinary expert setting may improve treatment outcomes.

Measurement Properties of Aerobic Capacity Measures in Neuromuscular Diseases: A Systematic Review.

Objective: To systematically evaluate the measurement properties of aerobic capacity measures in neuromuscular diseases.

Data Sources: MEDLINE, EMBASE, SportDiscus and Web of Science Conference Proceedings Citation Index - Science were systematically searched from inception until 30 June 2021.

Study Selection And Data Extraction: Screening, data extraction, risk of bias assessment and quality assessment were performed by 2 independent researchers.

Use and Usability Of Custom-Made Knee-Ankle-Foot Orthoses In Polio Survivors with Knee Instability: A Cross-Sectional Survey.

Objective: To investigate the use of custom-made knee-ankle-foot orthoses in daily life and differences in usability factors of knee-ankle-foot orthoses between users and discontinued users.

Design: Cross-sectional survey study.

Subjects: A total of 163 polio survivors provided with a knee-ankle-foot orthosis at an outpatient clinic of a university hospital.

Specialised orthotic care to improve functioning in adults with neuromuscular disorders: protocol of a prospective randomised open-label blinded end-point study.

Introduction: People suffering from leg muscle weakness caused by neuromuscular disorders (NMDs) are often provided with leg orthoses to reduce walking problems such as increased walking effort, diminished walking speed, reduced balance and falls. However, evidence for the effectiveness of leg orthoses to improve walking in this patient group is limited and there is an absence of standardised practice in orthotic prescription. In 2012 a Dutch multidisciplinary guideline was developed aimed to standardise the orthotic treatment process in NMD.

Individualized Aerobic Exercise in Neuromuscular Diseases: A Pilot Study on the Feasibility and Preliminary Effectiveness to Improve Physical Fitness.

Objective: Clear guidelines to prescribe aerobic exercise in neuromuscular diseases (NMD) are lacking, which hampers effective application in neuromuscular rehabilitation. This pilot study evaluated the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of an individualized aerobic exercise program according to a recently developed training guide (B-FIT) to improve physical fitness in individuals with NMD.

Methods: Thirty-one individuals who were ambulatory and had 15 different slowly progressive NMD participated in a 4-month, polarized, home-based, aerobic exercise program.

Stiffness-Optimized Ankle-Foot Orthoses Improve Walking Energy Cost Compared to Conventional Orthoses in Neuromuscular Disorders: A Prospective Uncontrolled Intervention Study.

In persons with calf muscle weakness, walking energy cost is commonly increased due to persistent knee flexion and a diminished push-off. Provided ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs) usually lower walking energy cost. To maximize the reduction in energy cost, AFO bending stiffness should be individually optimized, but this is not common practice.

Efficacy of a physical activity programme combining individualized aerobic exercise and coaching to improve physical fitness in neuromuscular diseases (I'M FINE): study protocol of a randomized controlled trial.

Background: In individuals with neuromuscular diseases (NMD), symptoms of muscle weakness, fatigue and pain may limit physical activity. Inactivity leads to reduced physical fitness, which further complicates daily life functioning. Due to inconclusive evidence regarding exercise in NMD, the optimal training approach and strategies to preserve an active lifestyle remain to be determined.

Correction: Aerobic Exercise Training in Post-Polio Syndrome: Process Evaluation of a Randomized Controlled Trial.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

Cognitive behavioural therapy for reducing fatigue in post-polio syndrome and in facioscapulohumeral dystrophy: A comparison.

Background: Cognitive behavioural therapy does not reduce fatigue in post-polio syndrome, but is effective in facioscapulohumeral dystrophy. This difference in efficacy might be explained by a different role of cognitions in these conditions.

Objective: To compare fatigue-related cognitions between patients with post-polio syndrome and facio-scapulohumeral dystrophy.

Aerobic Exercise Training in Post-Polio Syndrome: Process Evaluation of a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objective: To explore reasons for the lack of efficacy of a high intensity aerobic exercise program in post-polio syndrome (PPS) on cardiorespiratory fitness by evaluating adherence to the training program and effects on muscle function.

Design: A process evaluation using data from an RCT.

Patients: Forty-four severely fatigued individuals with PPS were randomized to exercise therapy (n = 22) or usual care (n = 22).

Experiences and perspectives of patients with post-polio syndrome and therapists with exercise and cognitive behavioural therapy.

Background: Many persons affected with poliomyelitis develop post-polio syndrome (PPS) later in their life. Recently, the effectiveness of Exercise Therapy (ET) and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) for PPS has been evaluated in a randomized controlled trial, but did not show a decrease in fatigue or improvement in secondary endpoints like Quality of Life and self-perceived activity limitations. The aim of this explorative study was to gain insight in the perceived effects and experiences of the interventions from the perspectives of the patients and therapists.

No Reduction of Severe Fatigue in Patients With Postpolio Syndrome by Exercise Therapy or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: Results of an RCT.

Background: People with postpolio syndrome (PPS) commonly experience severe fatigue that persists over time and negatively affects functioning and health-related quality of life (HRQoL).

Objectives: To study the efficacy of exercise therapy (ET) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) on reducing fatigue and improving activities and HRQoL in patients with PPS.

Methods: We conducted a multicenter, single-blinded, randomized controlled trial.

Treatment for postpolio syndrome.

Background: Postpolio syndrome (PPS) may affect survivors of paralytic poliomyelitis and is characterised by a complex of neuromuscular symptoms leading to a decline in physical functioning. The effectiveness of pharmacological treatment and rehabilitation management in PPS is not yet established. This is an update of a review first published in 2011.

Measuring fatigue in polio survivors: content comparison and reliability of the Fatigue Severity Scale and the Checklist Individual Strength.

Objectives: To compare the content of the Fatigue Severity Scale and the subscale "subjective experience of fatigue" of the Checklist Individual Strength, and (ii) to assess the reliability of both questionnaires in polio survivors.

Design: Repeated-measures at a 3-week interval.

Subjects: Consecutive series of 61 polio survivors.

Determining the anaerobic threshold in postpolio syndrome: comparison with current guidelines for training intensity prescription.

Objectives: To determine whether the anaerobic threshold (AT) can be identified in individuals with postpolio syndrome (PPS) using submaximal incremental exercise testing, and to compare current guidelines for intensity prescription in PPS with the AT.

Design: Cohort study.

Setting: Research laboratory.

A 5-year longitudinal study of fatigue in patients with late-onset sequelae of poliomyelitis.

Objectives: To study the severity and 5-year course of fatigue in patients with late-onset sequelae of poliomyelitis (LOSP) and to identify physical and psychosocial determinants of fatigue.

Design: Prospective cohort study with 5 measurements over 5 years.

Setting: University hospital.

Treatment for postpolio syndrome.

Background: Postpolio syndrome (PPS) may affect survivors of paralytic poliomyelitis and is characterised by a complex of neuromuscular symptoms leading to a decline in physical functioning. The effectiveness of pharmacological treatment and rehabilitation management in PPS is not yet established.

Objectives: To review systematically the effects of any treatment for PPS compared to placebo, usual care or no treatment.

Exercise therapy and cognitive behavioural therapy to improve fatigue, daily activity performance and quality of life in postpoliomyelitis syndrome: the protocol of the FACTS-2-PPS trial.

Background: Postpoliomyelitis Syndrome (PPS) is a complex of late onset neuromuscular symptoms with new or increased muscle weakness and muscle fatigability as key symptoms. Main clinical complaints are severe fatigue, deterioration in functional abilities and health related quality of life. Rehabilitation management is the mainstay of treatment.

Prognostic factors for duration of sick leave due to low-back pain in dutch health care professionals.

Background: Information on prognostic factors for duration of sick leave due to low-back pain (LBP) is growing. In this prospective cohort study prognostic factors for duration of sick leave and course of disability were identified in a very early stage of sick leave due to LBP in an occupational health care setting.

Methods: A total of 615 workers calling in sick from work due to LBP at an occupational health service (OHS) of one institution completed a questionnaire.

Effectiveness of a multidisciplinary occupational training program for chronic low back pain: a prospective cohort study.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of a 12-wk multidisciplinary occupational training program for patients with chronic low back pain and to identify prognostic factors for treatment success.

Design: A total of 51 participants were evaluated at baseline, at discharge, and at 1 yr after conclusion of the program. The evaluation included a physical examination and assessment of functional disability, psychological factors, and coping styles.