Quantification of an exercise rehabilitation program for severely burned children: The standard of care at Shriners hospitals for children® - Galveston

Model System:

Burn

Reference Type:

Journal article

Accession No.:

J81123

Journal:

Journal of Burn Care And Research (formerly Journal of Burn Care & Rehabilitation)

Year, Volume, Issue, Page(s):

2018 , 39, 6, 889-896

Publication Website:

Abstract:

Study quantified the training logs for exercise intensity, frequency, and duration of a 6-week rehabilitative exercise training (RET) program to develop specific guidelines for outpatient RET in children recovering from severe burns. Thirty-three children with severe burns completed the 6-week resistance and aerobic exercise training program at Shriners Hospital for Children—Galveston. Cardiorespiratory fitness (peak VO2), strength, power, and lean body mass (LBM) were measured before and after RET. Outcome measures were analyzed as a relative percentage of values in age- and sex-matched non-burned children. At discharge, burned children had lower LBM (77 percent of age-sex–matched non-burn values), peak torque (53 percent), power (62 percent), and cardiorespiratory fitness (56 percent). After 6 weeks of training, LBM increased by 5 percent (82 percent of non-burn values), peak torque by 18 percent (71 percent), power by 20 percent (81 percent), and cardiorespiratory fitness by 18 percent (74 percent). Quantification of data in exercise training logs suggested that physical capacity can be improved by aerobic exercise training performed at five metabolic equivalents (>70 percent of peak VO2) at least 3 days per week and 150 minutes per week, and by resistance training performed at volume loads of 131 kilograms for the upper body and 275 kilograms for the lower body for 2 days a week. The findings support these guidelines specific to children with severe burn injury.

Author(s):