Dolphin Trial
The Haemophilia Society is collaborating with specialist haemophilia physiotherapists, Canterbury Christ Church, Kings College London and The University of Kent on developing a study looking at an exercise programme for children to help increase muscle strength.
It is well known that muscle weakness is associated with haemophilic arthropathy in adults and it is now apparent that muscle strength is reduced in children, prior to the onset of clinical arthropathy. We also know that muscle weakness is strongly correlated to muscle atrophy, reduced walking distances, slower ascent and descent of stairs, as well as reduced ankle joint motion, greater knee flexion motion and forces during walking. This study aims to develop a muscle strengthening exercise programme for children, with input from academic experts and specialist physiotherapists, in consultation with patients. We are trying to find out if this type of study works, how children get on with the exercise programme and how it might need to change if we were to then do a bigger study.
You can read the study newsletters here about how the study is progressing.