8-week lower-limb resistance program for young people with Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease

Effects of a Resistance Exercise Training Program on Skeletal Muscle Quality, Functional Capacity, and Quality of Life in Young Individuals With and Without Hereditary Sensorimotor Polyneuropathy

This program will test whether 8 weeks of supervised lower-limb resistance exercises help improve muscle quality, functional ability, and quality of life in 15–29 year olds with and without Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease.

Quick facts

• Phase: NA
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 22 (estimated)
• Ages: 15 Years to 29 Years
• Sex: All
• Sponsor: Universidad de La Frontera (other)
• Locations: 2 sites (Temuco, La Araucanía and 1 other locations)
• Trial ID: NCT07152197 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

Researchers will enroll two groups of participants aged 15–29 — young people with hereditary sensorimotor polyneuropathy (Charcot–Marie–Tooth) and matched healthy controls — and deliver a supervised progressive lower-limb resistance training program three times per week for eight weeks. Primary outcomes are changes in tibialis anterior muscle thickness and echogenicity measured by ultrasonography; secondary outcomes include muscle architecture (fascicle length, pennation angle), body composition, functional capacity tests, and quality-of-life measures. Outcomes will be compared to baseline within each participant and between the HSPN and control groups to determine relative improvements. The intervention excludes people with contraindicating mobility or medical conditions and those currently engaged in resistance training or using muscle-altering supplements.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates are community-dwelling men or women aged 15–29 with a confirmed diagnosis of hereditary sensorimotor polyneuropathy (or healthy controls for comparison) who have at least active ankle movement to 0° dorsiflexion and can attend supervised sessions.

Not a fit: People with severe osteoarticular or mobility limitations that prevent safe exercise, recent related surgery, uncontrolled chronic disease, intellectual disability preventing participation, current resistance training within six months, or use of muscle-regulating supplements are unlikely to benefit or be eligible.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, the program could offer a low-cost, non-drug approach to improve leg muscle quality, mobility, and daily functioning for young people with CMT.

How similar studies have performed: Resistance training has shown benefits for strength and function in other populations and limited CMT reports suggest potential gains, but few controlled lower-limb ultrasound-based studies in young adults with CMT exist, so the approach is promising but not yet well established.

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

* Men or women between 15 and 29 years of age with a diagnosis of hereditary sensorimotor polyneuropathy (HSPN) in any of its subtypes, living in the community (for experimental group).
* Healthy men or women between 15 and 29 years of age living in the community (for control group).
* Having active ankle movement within a range from plantarflexion to at least 0° of ankle dorsiflexion, allowing for strength training.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Osteoarticular or mobility impairments that prevent safe performance of resistance exercise training (e.g., ankle arthrodesis).
* Use of nutritional supplements that may affect skeletal muscle regulation (leucine, glutamine, casein, whey protein, fatty acids, creatine, among others).
* Untreated and/or uncontrolled chronic diseases or intellectual disability.
* History of surgery
* Participation in a resistance exercise training program within the past 6 months.

Where this trial is running

Temuco, La Araucanía and 1 other locations

• Temuco, Chile — Temuco, La Araucanía, Chile (RECRUITING)
• Universidad de La Frontera — Temuco, La Araucanía, Chile (ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING)

Study contacts

• Study coordinator: Fernando J Valenzuela, MSc

Conditions: Polyneuropathy, Charcot Marie Tooth Disease, Resistance Training, Muscle Quality, Quality of Life