Adjunctive Effect of Pulsed Electromagnetic Field on Quadriceps Muscle Strength After Burn Injury

Experimental: Experimental group

- This group will be composed of 30 patients with lower limb burn of second-degree. Subjects will receive pulsed magnetic field over thigh areas for 24 sessions over a period of 8 weeks (3sessions/week) with receiving strengthening exercises for quadriceps muscle and traditional physical therapy program in the form of range of motion exercise, stretching, splinting, massage, functional training for ambulation and activities of daily living.

Dispositivo: pulsed electromagnetic field device

the pulsed electromagnetic field device treatment parameters will be set as 15 Hz frequency, 20 gauss amplitude, and 20 minutes as total treatment duration.

Otro: Free weights for Strengthening Exercise

• Parameters of the exercise program: Intensity : The weight or load the patients lifted is set at 50-60% of their individual 1RM , 3 sets of 10 repetitions during the first week. During the second week, the lifting load is increased to 70-75% (3 sets of 10 repetitions) of their individual 1RM and continued for weeks 2-6. After this, training intensity is increased to 80-85% of the 1 RM and implemented from weeks 7-8.

Frequency: 3 sessions per week for 8 weeks. Number of repetitions: 3 sets,10 repetitions in each set. Total treatment duration: 8 weeks

Comparador activo: control group

Subjects will receive strengthening exercises for quadriceps muscle and traditional physical therapy program in the form of range of motion exercise, stretching, splinting, massage, functional training for ambulation and activities of daily living for 24 sessions over a period of 8 weeks (3sessions/week)

Otro: Free weights for Strengthening Exercise

• Parameters of the exercise program: Intensity : The weight or load the patients lifted is set at 50-60% of their individual 1RM , 3 sets of 10 repetitions during the first week. During the second week, the lifting load is increased to 70-75% (3 sets of 10 repetitions) of their individual 1RM and continued for weeks 2-6. After this, training intensity is increased to 80-85% of the 1 RM and implemented from weeks 7-8.

Frequency: 3 sessions per week for 8 weeks. Number of repetitions: 3 sets,10 repetitions in each set. Total treatment duration: 8 weeks

Isokinetic dynamometer for measuring The peak torque of the quadriceps muscle

• Patients will warm up for 5 min on a cycle ergometer then quadriceps, hamstrings and calf muscles will be stretched 3 times with a 30 seconds stretch and a 30 seconds rest.
• Patients will be positioned in an isokinetic dynamometer. The measurements are carried out with the backrest reclined 5° from vertical and knees flexed 90 degrees and straps fixing the trunk, waist and distal thigh. The rotation axis of the dynamometer is aligned with the axis of the knee joint at the level of the lateral epicondyle of the femur while it is attached to the distal part of the leg about 5cm above the medial malleolus and isokinetic test is performed at angular velocity of 150 degree per second.
• For familiarization, Patients will perform a series of three submaximal contractions. After warming up, subjects are requested to perform ten maximal voluntary contractions consecutively without rest in between.
• There will be three minutes of resting before repeating the test