Mitigating Neural Hypoexcitability and Weakness During Disuse in Women (NCT07166198) | Clinical Trial Compass
RecruitingNot Applicable
Mitigating Neural Hypoexcitability and Weakness During Disuse in Women
United States20 participantsStarted 2026-05-01
Plain-language summary
Clinical trial The goal of this clinical trial is to learn how muscle weakness and atrophy develop during short periods of arm immobilization and whether a type of exercise called cross-education can help reduce these effects in women at midlife.
The main questions it aims to answer are:
What changes happen in the nervous system that lead to weakness when a wrist is immobilized?
Can training the opposite arm help maintain muscle strength, muscle size, and nervous system function in the immobilized arm?
Researchers will compare women who have their wrist immobilized with or without opposite-arm resistance training.
Participants will:
Wear a wrist cast on one arm for 7 days
Complete strength training with the opposite arm or no training, depending on their group
Attend study visits for strength and nervous system testing
Have non-invasive tests (like magnetic brain stimulation, muscle recordings, and muscle imaging) to measure how the nervous system and muscle responds
Who can participate
Age range
40 Years – 65 Years
Sex
FEMALE
See this in plain English?
AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
Inclusion Criteria:
* Women between 40-65 years of age
* Baseline handgrip strength \>16Kg
Exclusion Criteria:
* Personal or family history of blood clots
* Current use of anticoagulant medications
* Neuromuscular or metabolic diseases (e.g., multiple sclerosis, diabetes)
* Arthritis
* Osteoporosis or osteopenia
* History of myocardial infarction within the past year
* Chronic pain ≥3/10 for ≥3 months
* Uncontrolled hypertension (≥140/90 mmHg)
* Upper extremity surgery within the past year
* Use of assistive hand or arm device within the past year
* Fall involving the upper extremities within the past year
* Upper extremity injuries preventing safe participation
* Current use of muscle relaxants, benzodiazepines, or similar drugs
* Smoking within the past 6 months
* History of drug or alcohol abuse within the past year
* Severe anxiety or claustrophobia
* Pregnancy (current or planned)
* Allergies to medical adhesives
* High risk of sarcopenia (per SARC-F)
* Contraindications to TMS or MRI
* Upper-body resistance training within the past 6 months
* Inability/unwillingness to refrain from resistance training during study
Questions worth asking your doctor
Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.
1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?
Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.
Questions for the trial coordinator
The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.
1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?
A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.
What they're measuring
1
Handgrip Strength
Timeframe: Baseline, immediately post-immobilization at 1 week, and post-rehabilitation at 3 weeks.
2
Wrist Extension Strength
Timeframe: Baseline, immediately post-immobilization at 1 week, and post-rehabilitation at 3 weeks.
3
Wrist Flexion Strength
Timeframe: Baseline, immediately post-immobilization at 1 week, and post-rehabilitation at 3 weeks.