Resistance, Plyometric, and Combined Exercise Training in Children With Severe Burns

Children who experience severe burns may continue to have reduced muscle strength, power, balance, and physical function after their wounds have healed. Exercise is an important part of burn rehabilitation, but it is unclear which type of training provides the greatest improvement. This randomized study compared three exercise programs in children aged 10 to 17 years with burns affecting more than 30% of their total body surface area. Participants were assigned to traditional resistance training, plyometric training, or a program combining both approaches. Each group completed supervised exercise sessions three times per week for 8 weeks. Muscle strength, upper- and lower-body power, dynamic balance, and upper-limb stability were measured before and after the training period. The study aimed to determine which exercise approach was most effective for improving neuromuscular and functional performance during long-term pediatric burn rehabilitation.

Inclusion Criteria: * Children aged 10 to 17 years. * History of a major thermal burn affecting more than 30% of total body surface area. * Time since burn injury between 0.1 and 2 years. Exclusion Criteria: * A pre-existing or acquired neurological, musculoskeletal, cardiopulmonary, or cognitive condition that could interfere with physical performance or affect interpretation of the study outcomes. * Reconstructive surgery performed during the 6 months before the pre-intervention assessment.