Exercises For People With Inclusion Body Myositis

Inclusion body myositis is best described as an inflammatory muscle disease. It causes a progressive wasting of muscle tissue, resulting in weakness and limited mobility. The wasting of muscle tissue is usually isolated to the forearms and thighs. You may also experience some weakness in the wrists and hands as well as difficulty swallowing. Currently, treatment involves corticosteroids or immunosuppressants, but this condition is relatively resistant to these medications. This is why some doctors recommend exercise to maintain mobility and slow its progression.

Evidence

A pilot study conducted at the Karolinska Hospital in Stockholm showed that a home exercise program could be used to manage inclusion body myositis. Patients participated in exercises five days a week over a course of 12 weeks. While strength did not improve with exercise, the increase in physical activity did stop the atrophy associated with the condition. These findings indicate that regular exercise can help prevent further loss of strength by maintaining muscle integrity. Since the study was rather small, including only seven people with the disease, more extensive research is needed to determine the long-term effects of exercise.

Exercise

With inclusion body myositis, low-intensity exercises are the only form of physical activity recommended. High-intensity exercises often lead to inflammation of the muscles. This can be problematic for myositis, which already causes inflammation to tissue, so this type of activity could worsen your condition. Low-intensity exercises are typically defined as any activity that raises your heart rate to anywhere between 50 and 65 percent of your maximum heart rate. Walking, biking and swimming can all be performed at a low level of intensity.

Strength Training

Though it seems counterintuitive, strength training isn't usually recommended for inclusion body myositis. Like high-intensity exercises, strength training causes inflammation of muscle tissue, which could exacerbate the disease. A preliminary study published in the Official Journal of the American College of Sports Medicine, however, did see an improvement in one individual using this form of exercise. But the activities, such as squats, leg presses and knee extensions, were combined with vascular occlusion, which is the ligature or binding of the trained appendage to reduce blood flow and lessen inflammation. Further study is needed to determine if this is a viable option for myositis.

Recommendation

Before starting an exercise program, talk to a medical professional. Physical therapists can establish a series of exercises to best benefit your condition. They can also teach you the proper form needed to engage in the chosen activity safely.