The Impact of Walking Exercises and Resistance Training upon the Walking Distance in Patients with Chronic Lower Limb Ischaemia.

Maria Szymczak,Marian Majchrzycki,Grzegorz Oszkinis

doi:10.1155/2016/7515238

Maria Szymczak, Marian Majchrzycki + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.1155/2016/7515238

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Abstract

Objective. The objective of this paper is to compare the impact of supervised walking and resistance training upon the walking distance in PAD patients. Materials and Methods. The examination involved 50 PAD patients at the 2nd stage of the disease according to Fontaine's scale. The participants were randomly allocated to two groups: one exercising on the treadmill (n = 24) and one performing resistance exercises of lower limbs (n = 26). Results. The 12-week program of supervised rehabilitation led to a significant increase in the intermittent claudication distance measured both on the treadmill and during the 6-minute walking test. The group training on the treadmill showed a statistically significant increase of the initial claudication distance (ICD) and the absolute claudication distance (ACD) measured on the treadmill, as well as of ICD and the total walking distance (TWD) measured during the 6-minute walking test. Within the group performing resistance exercises, a statistically significant improvement was observed in the case of parameters measured on the treadmill: ICD and ACD. Conclusions. The supervised rehabilitation program, in the form of both walking and resistance exercises, contributes to the increase in the intermittent claudication distance. The results obtained in both groups were similar.

Highlights

IntroductionAtherosclerosis (or arteriosclerotic vascular disease; ASVD) is the most frequent cause of lower limb blood-flow disorders
Atherosclerosis is the most frequent cause of lower limb blood-flow disorders
The effectiveness of training indicated by the improvement of the intermittent claudication distance was similar for both randomly allocated groups of participants: one performing walking exercises on the treadmill and the other performing resistance exercises

Summary

Introduction

Atherosclerosis (or arteriosclerotic vascular disease; ASVD) is the most frequent cause of lower limb blood-flow disorders. Chronic lower limb ischaemia is a disease manifested through a wide range of clinical symptoms, from the complete absence of symptoms, through intermittent claudication, to critical lower limb ischaemia. Clinical symptoms depend most of all upon the degree of vascular stenosis/occlusion, the location of lesions in particular vascular segments, the degree of advancement of collateral circulation, the general health condition, and the degree of the patient’s involvement in carrying out the recommended conservative therapy [1,2,3,4]. The most frequent symptom of PAD is intermittent claudication. It manifests itself through the pain in one or both lower limbs during physical exercise, the growing intensity of which forces the patient to stop. The location and extent of arteriosclerotic lesions determine the location of painfulness in lower limbs [5]

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Conclusion