Can exercise help women with a muscle disease feel stronger and happier?
Resistance training in women with myotonic dystrophy type 1: a multisystemic therapeutic avenue.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Resistance training significantly reduced apathy and depression in women with DM1, a population previously assumed to benefit less from exercise.
Myotonic dystrophy has been historically associated with exercise caution due to muscle fragility, and neuropsychiatric benefits of strength training in this group were not well documented—especially in women.
Practical Takeaways
Supervised resistance training twice weekly—focusing on squats, leg press, and other lower-body exercises—may help improve strength, mood, and pain in women with DM1.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Resistance training significantly reduced apathy and depression in women with DM1, a population previously assumed to benefit less from exercise.
Myotonic dystrophy has been historically associated with exercise caution due to muscle fragility, and neuropsychiatric benefits of strength training in this group were not well documented—especially in women.
Practical Takeaways
Supervised resistance training twice weekly—focusing on squats, leg press, and other lower-body exercises—may help improve strength, mood, and pain in women with DM1.
Publication
Journal
Neuromuscular disorders : NMD
Year
2024
Authors
L. Girard-Côté, B. Gallais, Cynthia Gagnon, M. Roussel, M. Morin, Luc J. Hébert, D. Monckton, J. Leduc‐Gaudet, Gilles Gouspillou, V. Marcangeli, É. Duchesne
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Claims (3)
Doing strength training twice a week for three months might help women with myotonic dystrophy type 1 get stronger in their legs — and some of that strength could last even after they stop exercising for up to six months.
Women with myotonic dystrophy type 1 might feel less pain and notice better leg function after doing a 12-week supervised strength training program.
Doing supervised strength training for 12 weeks might help women with myotonic dystrophy type 1 feel less down or unmotivated, based on how they report their own mood.