Effect of a 6-Week Structured Exercise Intervention on TNF-α During the Chronic Recovery Phase of a Burn Injury Compared to Regular Daily Activities: A Pilot Randomised Cross-Over Trial

Tyler Jerome Osborne; Grant Rowe; Dale W. Edgar; Mark Fear; Fiona M. Wood; Timothy Fairchild; Brook Galna; Pippa Kenworthy; Brad Wall

doi:10.3390/ebj7010011

Back

Effect of a 6-Week Structured Exercise Intervention on TNF-α During the Chronic Recovery Phase of a Burn Injury Compared to Regular Daily Activities: A Pilot Randomised Cross-Over Trial

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Effect of a 6-Week Structured Exercise Intervention on TNF-α During the Chronic Recovery Phase of a Burn Injury Compared to Regular Daily Activities: A Pilot Randomised Cross-Over Trial

Tyler Jerome Osborne, Grant Rowe, Dale W. Edgar, Mark Fear, Fiona M. Wood, Timothy Fairchild, Brook Galna, Pippa Kenworthy and Brad Wall

European burn journal, Vol.7(1), 11

2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ebj7010011

PMID: 41718246

Files and links (1)

pdf

Published1.04 MBDownload View

Open Access CC BY V4.0

Abstract

Critical Care Medicine

Dermatology

General & Internal Medicine

Life Sciences & Biomedicine

Science & Technology

Background: Burn injury induces a prolonged inflammatory response that may contribute to long-term metabolic dysfunction. Exercise is known to reduce inflammation in various clinical populations; however, its effect on chronic post-burn inflammation remains unclear. This crossover trial investigated the impact of a 6-week exercise intervention on tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) in adults with non-severe burns sustained more than one year prior. Methods: Twenty-one participants were randomised to complete either a 6-week exercise program or a control period first, separated by a 4-week washout. The exercise program comprised three supervised sessions per week of combined resistance and cardiovascular training. Primary (TNF-α) and secondary (muscle strength, cardiovascular fitness) outcomes were assessed pre- and post-intervention. Results: Fifteen participants completed the protocol with high adherence (90.4%). Exercise significantly improved quadriceps strength and cardiovascular fitness, confirming the intervention’s safety and efficacy in this cohort. However, TNF-α concentrations were not elevated at baseline and did not significantly change following exercise compared with control (mean difference: +0.5 pg·mL−1, p = 0.249). Exercise is safe and beneficial for non-severely burned patients who sustained their injury > 1 year ago. However, inflammation was not elevated in this cohort, precluding our ability to test the effects of exercise on chronic inflammation.

Details

Title: Effect of a 6-Week Structured Exercise Intervention on TNF-α During the Chronic Recovery Phase of a Burn Injury Compared to Regular Daily Activities: A Pilot Randomised Cross-Over Trial
Authors/Creators: Tyler Jerome Osborne - Edith Cowan University
Grant Rowe - Murdoch University
Dale W. Edgar - Fiona Stanley Hospital
Mark Fear - The University of Western Australia
Fiona M. Wood - The University of Western Australia
Timothy Fairchild - Murdoch University, School of Allied Health
Brook Galna - Murdoch University, Centre for Healthy Ageing
Pippa Kenworthy - Fiona Stanley Hospital
Brad Wall - Murdoch University, Centre for Healthy Ageing
Publication Details: European burn journal, Vol.7(1), 11
Publisher: MDPI
Number of pages: 17
Grant note: RGS3381 / Fiona Wood Foundation 2020/501 / Murdoch University
Identifiers: 991005877053707891
Murdoch Affiliation: Centre for Healthy Ageing; Personalised Medicine Centre; School of Allied Health
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article

Metrics

1 Record Views