Crossed Education in Relation to Muscle Mass in Patients Operated of Clavicular Fracture

Overview

The immobilization process after an operation or injury in the upper extremity causes a loss of muscle mass and strength of 0.2% and 1.3% per day, respectively. Currently, the use of cross-education, which is unilateral training in the uninjured limb, during the immobilization period, is expanding, demonstrating a magnitude of strength gain in the immobilized limb from 8% to 77% of the mean of strength of the trained limb. Despite the evidenced benefits of cross-education in unilateral injuries such as distal radius fracture, anterior cruciate ligament injury, and knee replacement, very little is known about this effect in shoulder immobilization after clavicle fracture.

Objective: : To determine the effects of unilateral resistance exercise training of the uninjured limb on skeletal muscle mass, strength, pain, and disability in the immobilized limb after immobilization (4 weeks) and after standard physiotherapy (8 weeks) in patients undergoing clavicle fracture surgery. Methodology: Nineteen men (27 ± 5 years) were randomly to a control group (n = 8; immobilization + standard physiotherapy) or experimental group (n = 11; immobilization + unilateral resistance training of the uninjured limb + standard physiotherapy). Outcomes included biceps brachii muscle thickness (ultrasonography), elbow flexion strength (1RM estimate), disability (Quick Dash questionnaire) and pain (visual analog scale), assessed at 4- and 8-week post-clavicle surgery. Expected results: It is expected to observe a gain in muscle mass and strength in the trained limb and a maintenance/gain of muscle mass and strength in the group that perform cross-training during the immobilization period.