Effects of Self-Selected Exercise on Strength in Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease Subtypes

Background: Preliminary studies have supported the utility of exercise as a treatment for Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) patients. Despite being the most common inherited neuropathy, there remains a paucity of guidelines for CMT management. Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed on 297 CMT patients. Self-reported exercise and strength results from standardized dynamometer testing were obtained from adult patients' first visits. Values were converted and analyzed based on previously reported age-and sex-matched normative values. Results: Participants with CMT2 had greater strength values than those with CMT1 in hand grip, elbow flexion, and dorsiflexion (p< 0.05). Participants with CMT1 and CMT2 who exercised were statistically significantly stronger in elbow flexion and dorsiflexion than those who did not exercise. Conclusions: These preliminary results suggest that self-directed exercise is associated with greater strength in CMT patients of both CMT1 and CMT2 subtypes. Self-directed exercise may be a convenient, sustainable, and effective method of improving strength and decreasing disability in this population. Future research should explore the type of exercise prescription that best addresses the needs of the CMT population.