None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
This study aims to understand how the brain and nervous system control muscle strength, particularly when a limb is not being used. When a limb is immobilised (for example, in a cast or brace), muscle strength can decline quickly, and this may be due more to changes in the brain than the muscle itself. In this study, healthy adults will wear a wrist brace to temporarily restrict movement of one arm for up to two weeks. Some participants will also perform strength training with the opposite (non-immobilised) arm, and some will wear special prism glasses during training that create the illusion that the immobilised arm is moving. We aim to test whether training the opposite arm, with or without visual feedback, can help reduce strength loss and maintain normal brain function. We expect that these approaches will help preserve muscle strength by maintaining communication between the brain and muscles.
Interventions
Participants will be allocated to one of four conditions involving limb immobilisation and/or neuromuscular interventions. Immobilisation will be achieved via a unilateral wrist brace worn continuously to restrict movement and maintain the joint in a neutral position for up to 14 days. Intervention groups will undertake supervised unilateral resistance training (cross-education) of the non-immobilised limb, consisting of upper-limb exercises performed at ~80–85% one-repetition maximum, 4 sets of
Participants will be allocated to one of four conditions involving limb immobilisation and/or neuromuscular interventions. Immobilisation will be achieved via a unilateral wrist brace worn continuously to restrict movement and maintain the joint in a neutral position for up to 14 days. Intervention groups will undertake supervised unilateral resistance training (cross-education) of the non-immobilised limb, consisting of upper-limb exercises performed at ~80–85% one-repetition maximum, 4 sets of 6–8 repetitions, three sessions per week over 14 days. One intervention arm will additionally incorporate prism-augmented visual feedback, with participants wearing prism glasses during training to laterally displace the visual field and create the illusion of movement in the immobilised limb. All training sessions will be delivered face-to-face on an individual basis by trained research personnel with expertise in neuromuscular physiology and resistance training. Sessions will be conducted in a controlled laboratory setting. Adherence will be monitored through direct supervision of all training sessions and compliance with immobilisation protocols, with attendance and protocol deviations recorded.
Sponsors
Monash University
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Treatment
Masking
Blinded (masking used) (Caregiver, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to 65 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
• Healthy adults aged 18–65 years • Eligible for TMS and resistance training • Right-handed (for standardisation)
Exclusion criteria
• Neurological disorders (e.g. epilepsy, stroke) • Implanted medical devices • Central Nervous System (CNS) medications • History of seizures or migraine • Current or recent resistance training
Outcome results
None listed