OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy of a 12-week exercise program in producing greater improvement in aerobic capacity in adult burn survivors, relative to usual care. DESIGN: Randomized, controlled, double-blinded trial. SETTING: Burn center. PARTICIPANTS: A population-based sample of 35 adult patients admitted to a burn center for treatment of a serious burn injury. INTERVENTION: A 12-week, 36-session, aerobic treadmill exercise program where work to quota (WTQ) participants intensified their exercise according to preset quotas and work to tolerance (WTT) participants continued to their tolerance. Participants completed a maximal stress test at baseline and 12 weeks to measure physical fitness. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Maximal aerobic capacity. RESULTS: The WTT and the WTQ exercise groups both made significant improvements in aerobic capacity from baseline to 12 weeks (t = -3.60, p <= 0.01; t = -3.17, p <= 0.01, respectively). The control group did not (t = -1.39, p = 0.19). WTT and WTQ participants demonstrated significantly greater improvements in aerobic capacity in comparison to the control group members (F = 4.6, p <= 0.05). The WTT and WTQ groups did not differ significantly from each other with regard to their respective improvements in aerobic capacity (F = 0.014, p = 0.907). CONCLUSIONS: The aerobic capacity of adult burn survivors can be improved with participation in a structured, 12-week exercise program after injury.

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