Exercise therapies in peripheral neuropathies.

The treatment of peripheral neuropathies should be aimed at maintaining the range of motion of the joints, re-educating the patient in skilled activities and optimizing the recovery of strength. Many techniques have been described to substitute for, to strengthen and to improve the function of residual innervated muscle; however, not all of these techniques are of unquestioned value. Specifically, electrical stimulation does not appear to enhance reinnervation of totally denervated muscle. Similarly, overstretching weakened muscle may impair the use of paretic muscle. Because overwork may damage partially denervated muscle, brief isometric or isotonic contractions may be more beneficial for increasing strength than a program of habitual exhausting activities.