Effects of Community-Based Exercise in Adults With Severe Burns: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Objective: To investigate the efficacy of community-based exercise programs in the rehabilitation of adult patients with burns compared with standard of care (SOC). Design: Randomized controlled trial, with 2:1 randomization. Setting: Assessments were performed in a hospital setting. The intervention was performed in a community setting. Participants: Adult patients (N=45) with ≥30% total body surface area burns were randomized to participate in a community-based exercise program (n=31) or SOC (n=14). Patient sampling was consecutive and referred. Interventions: The community-based exercise program consisted of 12 weeks of exercise with a community-based trainer after hospital discharge. The SOC group did not receive exercise training. Main Outcome Measures: Change in lean body mass index, peak torque, and peak oxygen consumption from discharge to 12 weeks postdischarge, presented as mean ± SE. Results: The community-based exercise program group showed a significant increase in peak oxygen consumption compared with SOC (community-based exercise program: Δ=7.723±1.522mL/kg/min, P=.0006; SOC: Δ=2.200±1.150mL/kg/min, P=.0765; community-based exercise program vs SOC, P=.0236). The community-based exercise program group exhibited a significant within group increase in lean body mass index (Δ=1.107±0.431kg/m², P=.0003; SOC: Δ=1.323±0.873kg/m², P=.2808). Both groups showed significant within-group increases in peak torque (community-based exercise program: Δ=35.645±7.566Nm, P=.0003; SOC: Δ=34.717±11.029Nm, P=.0082). No significant differences were noted between the 2 groups for lean body mass index or peak torque. Conclusions: Patients who participate in a community-based exercise program show significant improvements in cardiopulmonary fitness compared with SOC, supporting the use of a community-based exercise program as an alternative therapy to SOC in adults with severe burns.