Cross-education of unilateral resistance training as a strategy to mitigate immobilization-induced neuromuscular decline: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Abstract
Training the nonimmobilized limb during unilateral immobilization reduces strength loss in the immobilized limb. These attenuations were most pronounced in proximal upper limb muscles (i.e., elbow, shoulder) compared with distal immobilization models (i.e., wrist). Cross-education offers a practical, low-cost rehabilitation strategy that clinicians can easily implement when patients have one limb immobilized, with eccentric resistance exercise of the nonimmobilized limb appearing particularly effective for attenuating losses in an immobilized limb.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Muscle activation and electromyography studies
Sports injuries and prevention
Muscle Physiology and Disorders
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Journal of Applied Physiology
- Publisher
- American Physiological Society
- Volume
- 140
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 1813–1834
- Publication date
- 16 May 2026
- Language
- EN