Muscular atrophy can result from any number of physical or neurological conditions. Generally, muscle atrophy occurs from the disuse of muscle tissue, and it can be a significant problem for people with spinal-cord injuries or other afflictions that paralyze muscle tissue. A significant amount of research has been conducted with regard to what rehabilitation processes are the most effective at treating short- and long-term muscle atrophy.
Assessment
Before your physician can design a proper muscular atrophy rehabilitation program for you, she needs to understand the underlying causes of the atrophy. According to physical therapist Jeff Castiglione, your physician should assess if the muscle atrophy occurred during a period of inactivity or if any other symptoms are present that may indicate a more serious condition. Castiglione also notes that differences in muscle size are not necessarily indicative of muscle atrophy if the corresponding muscles are of the same approximate strength.
Exercises
For patients who still have voluntary control of their atrophied muscles, a regular exercise program can be beneficial. A 1998 study published in the "Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation" journal looked at the effects of regular physical therapy exercises prescribed for patients with renal failure. Researchers from Aristotle University in Greece studied the effects of a six-month training program on seven patients. Prior to the study, the researchers took a biopsy of the atrophied muscles and found that type-II muscle fibers were most greatly affected by the atrophy. After the exercise program, type-II fibers had a 51-percent increase in prevalence.
Electronic Stimulation
Serious injuries and diseases that affect the spine pose a significant problem in terms of muscle atrophy. If a muscle is paralyzed, exercise to improve muscle strength is not an option. In a 1994 review of functional electrical stimulation for muscle atrophy, conducted by researchers at the University of Alberta, it was found that most targeted regimens of low-frequency electrical stimulation do increase muscular endurance.
Specialized Equipment
Astronauts work in low-gravity environments for many months at a time, and therefore can suffer from extreme muscle atrophy when they return to earth. Institutions like the European Space Agency utilize high-tech equipment such as the Muscle Atrophy Research and Exercise System, or MARES, to combat and learn from the effects of muscle atrophy. The MARES allows patients to be strapped to a fully functional exercise chair and isolate movements for any atrophied muscles. The equipment simultaneously collects data such as joint angle, fatigue level and average torque generated. This data can then be processed to develop a specialized atrophy training program for the individual.
References
- "Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation"; The Effects of Exercise Training on Muscle Atrophy in Haemodialysis Patients; E. Kouidi, et al.; March 1998
- "Journal of Applied Physiology"; Mechanisms Regulating Muscle Mass During Disuse Atrophy and Rehabilitation in Humans; Kanagaraj Marimuthu, et al.; October 2010
- "Physical Therapy"; Muscle Atrophy and Procedures for Training after Spinal Cord Injury; T. Gordon, J. Mao; January 1994
- European Space Agency; Muscle Atrophy Research and Exercise System; July 2000
- Catholic Health; Dealing with Muscle Atrophy; Jeff Castiglione; March 2011
