Exercise is highly extolled for its effects on the whole body, from strengthening musculature, bones, and blood vessels to stimulation of the immune system. A new study from MIT researchers, led by Professor Ritu Raman, researched an exciting dimension of exercise as something perhaps revolutionary for healthcare: its ability to stimulate neuron growth and maybe once and for all help in the healing of nerves. This work beefs up the already growing concept of “exercise as medicine” with evidence to show that during physical activity, muscle contractions alone are a powerful means to instruct both biochemical and physical signals influencing nerve growth.

This pioneering study reveals how exercises can help repair damaged nerves and restore mobility in patients suffering from traumatic injuries or neurodegenerative diseases. This study opens a new dimension as to the importance of physical exercise, with an associated novel mechanism that may stimulate a new avenue of therapeutic interventions.

Muscles “Talking Back” to Nerves

It has long been understood that nerves control muscular movements, sending electrical impulses from the brain down to the muscles and commanding them to contract. But what if muscles could talk back to nerves? That is precisely what Raman and her colleagues aimed to see. In their recent experiments, they discovered that when muscles contract, they release a cocktail of biochemicals called myokines. These myokines have the effect of encouraging neurons to grow much longer than they ordinarily would. The researchers witnessed an astonishing amplification—neurons grew up to four times faster when exposed to these muscle-derived signals compared with neurons not exposed to myokines.

That finding alone was revolutionary because it implies a previously unvalued bidirectional communication between muscles and nerves. Whereas the traditional view has always focused on nerves as the prime movers in the action of muscles, Raman finds that the muscles “talk back” vigorously, providing a welcoming environment for nerve growth.

Physical Effects of Exercise on Nerve Growth

Strong as the biochemical signals are from muscle contraction, the physical pressure of exercise on the nerves proves to be just as important, according to the research of the MIT team. By mimicking this cycle of muscle stretch and contraction, they demonstrated that neurons similarly could be induced to grow. In one ingenious experiment, they glued magnets to neurons growing on a gel mat, then applied an external magnet to physically “exercise” the neurons, yanking them back and forth. Surprisingly, these “exercised” neurons had the same extraordinary growth as those exposed to the biochemical action of the myokines, proving quite spectacularly that the chemical and physical elements of exercise are the valuable contributors to nerve growth.

This is the daunting realization of the mechanical benefit of exercise. This suggests that the twin mechanisms of biochemical stimulation and mechanical impact in physical therapy and rehabilitation exercises could facilitate mobility and thereby benefit the process of healing of damaged nerve tissue.

Therapeutic and Regenerative Medicine

The concept of exercises serving as a form of targeted therapy brings exciting prospects in the fields of medical science, particularly in conditions where there is Neuro-Damage or neurodegenerative diseases. According to Raman, this may eventually become part of a treatment for those injuries to nerves that disconnect them from muscles. “By stimulating the muscle, one may be able to “re-ignite” the nerves and help patients recover from severe trauma, or manage neurodegenerative diseases such as ALS,” Dr. Raman said.

His group had shown earlier how mobility was restored in mice by transplantation of muscle tissue to a site of injury and electrical stimulation. This muscle, upon exercising, released a surge of growth-promoting biochemicals which benefited not only the muscle itself but helped in the regeneration of nerves and blood vessels in that area. The study gives an idea of the potential of muscle-engineered therapies that might improve outcomes in cases of damage to nerves. If nothing else, this gives new meaning to the saying, “exercise is medicine.” In fact, these exercises do much more than strengthen the muscles: they create an environment of regeneration that may foster cellular healing and therefore be a therapeutic approach to some of the most intractable medical conditions.

The Larger View of Building Resilience

This innovative study is more than a technical milestone—it’s also a reminder of the broader philosophy behind resilience and healing. Sooner or later, just like neurons and muscles that benefit from the challenges imposed on them by physical exertion, our growth comes about through our challenges. The duality in nerves between biochemical and physical stimulation reflects the duality in life’s paths to resilience: an internal mindset that fuels us and an external action taken. Whether overcoming personal hardship or overcoming physical injury, the interplay between what we feel and what we do determines our capacity for growth.

For everyone who seeks to nurture resilience, there’s an insight to be gleaned from this research: the notion that, just as with our minds, so too do our bodies flourish by gradual effort. Just as neurons respond to both biochemical and physical exercise, inner resolve combined with consistent actions can foster growth in resilience. In times of stress, perhaps by drawing from the rigor of exercise—that place where effort pays dividends—we may remind ourselves that challenges often form a crucible in which growth and renewal are forged.

The Road Ahead: Exercise as a Potential Cure

Raman and her colleagues are opening a new frontier in regenerative medicine, bringing us closer to using exercise not only for general wellness but as a targeted treatment for nerve damage. With further research, it is hopefully through such findings that new therapies are inspired—perhaps individually tailored exercise regimes or electrical muscle stimulation protocols—that would help people regain mobility and live more fully after injury or illness.

Let us celebrate this knowledge and consider the wonders of exercise far in excess of a vehicle toward personal health but as a deep driver of healing. In a nutshell, let this be a lesson in resilience, reminding us powerfully that we, too—like our neurons and muscles—are wired to grow, adapt, and thrive through effort. So let’s keep on celebrating the benefits of movement, not only for building physical strength but as a pathway to healing and resilience.

Dr. Prahlada N.B
MBBS (JJMMC), MS (PGIMER, Chandigarh). 
MBA (BITS, Pilani), MHA, 
Executive Programme in Strategic Management (IIM, Lucknow)
Senior Management Programme in Healthcare Management (IIM, Kozhikode)
Postgraduate Certificate in Technology Leadership and Innovation (MIT, USA)
Advanced Certificate in AI for Digital Health and Imaging Program (IISc, Bengaluru). 

Senior Professor and former Head, 
Department of ENT-Head & Neck Surgery, Skull Base Surgery, Cochlear Implant Surgery. 
Basaveshwara Medical College & Hospital, Chitradurga, Karnataka, India. 

My Vision: I don’t want to be a genius.  I want to be a person with a bundle of experience. 

My Mission: Help others achieve their life’s objectives in my presence or absence!

My Values:  Creating value for others. 

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