title: The effects of a home-based arm ergometry exercise programme on physical fitness, fatigue and activity in polio survivors: protocol for a randomised controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Many Polio survivors have reduced mobility, pain and fatigue, which make access to conventional forms of aerobic exercise difficult. Inactivity leads to increased risk of health problems, many of which are prevalent among Polio survivors. Aerobic exercise programmes in Polio survivors should utilise stable muscle groups and should be designed to minimise exacerbation of pain and fatigue. A home-based arm ergometry aerobic exercise programme may represent an affordable and accessible exercise modality, incorporating exercise prescription principles in this group.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a prospective, single blinded, randomised controlled trial. There are two arms; exercise intervention using arm ergometers and control. Polio survivors meeting eligibility criteria will be recruited and randomly allocated to intervention or control groups. Participants allocated to the intervention group will receive a small arm ergometer and a polar heart rate monitor. They will carry out a home-based moderate intensity (50-70% HRMax) aerobic exercise programme for eight weeks, following instruction by the treating physiotherapist. Assessments will occur at baseline and after eight weeks and will include tests of physical fitness, activity, energy cost of walking, fatigue and quality of life. Clinically feasible assessment tools including the Six Minute Arm Test, the Physical Activity Scale for People with Physical Disabilities questionnaire, the Physiological Cost Index, Fatigue Severity Scale and the SF-36v2 will be utilised.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The efficacy of a home-based arm ergometry programme in Polio survivors will be examined. No previous trial has examined such a programme using a wide range of outcome measures pertinent to Polio survivors. This study will provide new information on the impact of arm ergometry on physical fitness, activity, body composition, fatigue, pain, muscle strength, and health related quality of life. Also, the study will provide information, which at present is lacking, on safety of aerobic exercise in Polio, as potential negative outcomes of activity including loss of muscle strength, increased pain and fatigue will be closely monitored.
authors.affiliation: Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, 123 St. Stephen's Green, Dublin 2, Ireland. deirdremurray@beaumont.ie
authors.forename: Deirdre
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.forename: Dara
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Meldrum
authors.forename: Roisin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Moloney
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Campion
authors.forename: Frances
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Horgan
authors.forename: Orla
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Hardiman
mesh_terms: D002985:Clinical Protocols; D016552:Ergometry / Q000379:methods*; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods; D005221:Fatigue / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D011051:Poliomyelitis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D016037:Single-Blind Method