Home-Based Exercise, Coaching Improves Fitness in Neuromuscular Diseases
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
WEDNESDAY, June 4, 2025 -- Combined personalized home-based aerobic exercise and coaching improves physical fitness for people with neuromuscular diseases, according to a study published online June 4 in Neurology.
Sander Oorschot, from the University of Amsterdam, and colleagues examined the efficacy of combined personalized home-based aerobic exercise and coaching on physical fitness in people with neuromuscular diseases in a multicenter, assessor-blinded, randomized controlled trial. Participants with different types of neuromuscular diseases were randomly allocated to a six-month intervention or usual care (44 and 47 participants, respectively). Assessments were performed at baseline and at six and 12 months postintervention.
The researchers found that the mean group difference in physical fitness, measured as peak oxygen uptake, was 2.2 and 1.7 mL/min/kg directly after intervention and on average over time, respectively, in favor of the intervention group. In the secondary outcomes, including daily physical activity, quality of life, physical functioning, metabolic syndrome markers, and creatine kinase level, no significant between-group differences were seen. There were 25 and 22 adverse events reported in the intervention and usual care groups, respectively. No changes were seen in creatine kinase levels.
"Future research should look at how changes in fitness levels affect how well people with neuromuscular diseases can do everyday activities," coauthor Eric L. Voorn, Ph.D., also from the University of Amsterdam, said in a statement. "It should also look at ways to motivate people to keep exercising regularly in their daily lives to make sure the benefits of long-term treatments are maintained."
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted June 2025
Read this next
Odds of Advanced Cancer, Breast Cancer Death Lower in Screen-Detected Disease
THURSDAY, June 5, 2025 -- For patients aged 40 years or older, screen-detected breast cancer is associated with lower odds of advanced cancer, mastectomy, and breast...
Cardiorespiratory Effects of Smoke Fine Particulate Matter From Wildfires Can Persist for Months
THURSDAY, June 5, 2025 -- The cardiorespiratory effects of smoke fine particulate matter (PM2.5), a primary wildfire emission that can spike for months after a wildfire begins...
Experiencing Sacred Moments Is Common for Internal Medicine Doctors
THURSDAY, June 5, 2025 -- For internal medicine physicians, experiencing sacred moments (brief periods of meaningful connection between clinician and patient) is common, but...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.