The effects of strength training in patients with selected neuromuscular disorders.

Five subjects with spinal muscular atrophy, limb-girdle or facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy, were studied. Measurements pre- and post-training included: maximum isometric, dynamic and isokinetic strength, in single-arm curl and double-leg press exercises; contractile properties of the elbow flexors; computerized tomography of the upper arms and thighs; muscle biopsies from the biceps brachii muscle of each arm in three subjects. Dynamic …